Trowbridge's new £17m leisure park held a gala opening last night featuring a premiere screening of Saving Mr Banks.

The event was organised by developer of St Stephen’s Place, Legal & General, at the site’s seven-screen Odeon cinema with supporters of the project invited along.

The film, which isn’t released in the UK until November 29, stars Oscar winners Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson and tells the story of how Mary Poppins was brought to the big screen by its author PL Travers and Walt Disney. The screening featured dancing chimney sweeps and a Mary Poppins lookalike.

“This is the best part of my job, seeing the transformation of a disused site into something great,” said Tim Russell, Legal & General Property’s senior asset manager.