CINEMAGOERS could be facing long queues as bosses launch a major clampdown on piracy.

The Vue cinema at the Park 66 leisure complex in Pilsworth is considering plans to search customers’ bags in a bid to catch video pirates.

A warning sign has been put up in the cinema reception to deter fraudsters from smuggling hi-tech video cameras into the screens.

A spokesman for Bury Vue said: “Unfortunately, our cinemas in the North West have been targeted by film pirates illegally copying films.

“Staff members also do spot-checks in screens while films are running to ensure that no recording devices are being used and to ensure a pleasurable cinema experience for all of our customers.”

He added: “As part of our ongoing anti-piracy campaign we regularly carry out random bag checks at all of our cinemas through the country.

“Regrettably film piracy is having a severe impact on the film industry and is a matter which we take very seriously. In order to strive to combat this issue we do search customers’ bags and check the auditoriums regularly.”

When the cinema is at its busiest on Friday and Saturday nights, queues can stretch as far as the door and it can take visitors 20 minutes to grab their tickets. Compulsory bag checks would extend that wait. In the last two years, cinema bosses have stepped up efforts to stop piracy by running adverts before films warning that anyone found to be taping films could be sent to prison. Some companies, like the Odeon, have staff members sneaking into films midway through and use nightvision binoculars to spy on viewers to check they aren’t recording the movie.

Staff at Vue Bury currently check bags when queues are short and some customers have been asked to leave mobile phones in their cars or in lockers so they can’t use them to film.

In 2007, piracy deprived cinemas and television channels of half a billion pounds of revenue and the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) has backed Vue’s action against it.

A FACT spokesman said: “People within the industry are making inroads on the way to dealing with this huge problem, but, in some ways, the challenge is getting harder. We used to just worry about camcorders, but now you only need a mobile phone device with a particularly powerful memory card, or that is hooked up to another device, that will record a film. We are working with cinemas to ensure we are doing everything possible to prevent pirate copies from being made within the UK and actions like this help, so long as the cinema customers aren’t too inconvenienced.”