A HAMPSHIRE cinema has now been reopened after it was evacuated this afternoon following reports of a suspicious letter being received.

Police were called to the Reel cinema in Fareham just before 2pm after staff received the suspicious post.

The building was emptied and cordoned off as officers carried out a search of the building. The cordon has now been taken down and police have left the scene.

Those inside who were enjoying an afternoon movie were told to leave the building over the cinema's tanoy system, due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

More than 50 people quickly flocked to the nearby Market Place car park, where cinemagoers were given complimentary tickets.

Mike Vimpany, who was half-an-hour into Russell Crowe's new blockbuster Noah, said: “It came completely out of the blue.

“There was about ten of us watching the film when the announcement was made so we all quickly shuffled out.”