THEY would have been the perfect conditions for the forthcoming movie blockbuster Ice Age 2.

Sipping hot coffee and huddled in their winter woollies, customers were forced to take extreme measures while watching films at the York Odeon, in Blossom Street, when the boiler packed up.

Cinema fans claim it is another example of the shabby environment they are forced to endure at the picture house since bosses threatened it with closure.

Derek Atkins and Colin Jeffrey said they were recently forced to wear woolly hats, scarves and gloves, and sip coffee, to keep warm in Screen One while watching a two-hour movie.

"I don't think anyone should have to spend their hard earned cash to sit in those shabby, cold conditions," said Mr Atkins.

"The cinema was absolutely freezing when we went.

"I was told the boiler had broken down again, but we weren't offered a refund. Enduring that for two hours was unacceptable. That was the third time the boiler had broken down recently.

"What was once a super cinema has now been run into the ground."

The Evening Press campaign to save the Odeon Cinema generated massive support when bosses revealed they were assessing its economic viability. More than 13,000 people signed our petition as we called on chiefs to keep it open following a sensitive refurbishment.

We later exposed the disgraceful state of the cinema, including disgusting toilets, naked light bulbs in the foyer, filthy and badly frayed carpets secured by masking tape, and a section of 100 seats cordoned off for maintenance work.

Bosses have still not made a decision on its future, after more than two years.

Mr Atkins said: "If they are not going to invest in the place then I would rather see it closed than see what it has become."

An Odeon spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that the boiler in the cinema broke down on Friday, March 10. An engineer was called immediately, and repair work was completed by Monday, March 13. It has been operating normally since then.

"With regard to the general appearance of the cinema, the decision to invest in the site will be made once the outcome of the assessment for its economic viability is known."

Updated: 09:11 Saturday, March 25, 2006