Pranksters defend actions as ‘drunken tomfoolery’

The 200-seater Astoria cinema, in Marshfield Road, has been repeatedly targeted by a gang of practical jokers, who have been rearranging the letters of film titles on advertising hoardings, to spell out rude and crass phrases.

The Chippenham News exposed the profanity scandal earlier this month but has now received a letter from the pranksters, in which they defend their actions as drunken tomfoolery'.

Calling themselves the IDPs, an acronym for Irresponsible and Dangerous Pranksters, which they were labelled by former Chippenham mayor Ross Henning, they apologised for any offence caused.

The letter said: "While we do enjoy drunken tomfoolery, causing an inconvenience and a possible loss of business is definitely not our intention.

"May we also assure that we are in no way causing damage to your building.

"We recognise it is fairly irresponsible but the only danger is to ourselves and I think we have demonstrated a few times we have little regard for our own safety."

The IDPs also hit out at claims they would sue building owners Reel Cinemas if they were injured by their actions.

"You mentioned the possibility of us suing the cinema if we were injured," the letter said.

"We are all English from Chippenham, Wiltshire - not Manhattan, New York.

"We agree that no-one would tolerate graffiti spelling out similar phrases. That is because graffiti is permanent.

"May we also remind you that the vulgar' word we used (while some may find it offensive) is an entry in the Oxford Dictionary."

Projectionist at the 1939 building, Jeremy Hancock, said they were looking at ways to deter the pranksters, but were finding it difficult.

He said CCTV was one option, but at the moment all they could do was leave the lights on.

Cllr Henning told the Chippenham News earlier this month: "It is irresponsible and quite dangerous - but I don't quite know what they can do to stop it.

"Let's just hope they have a lot of short-named films coming up."