CINEMAGOERS in Colchester were left in shock after police officers interrupted a movie screening before arresting a teenage girl.

Essex Police officers raided Odeon cinema, in Head Street, on Saturday afternoon during a showing of the latest Mission Impossible movie.

The force had initially entered screen three of the cinema before conducting a brief search and leaving after only a few minutes.

Before long, however, the venue's manager is said to have to entered the theatre to say police would be returning to conduct a further search.

The officers, with torches in-hand, then re-emerged before arresting a 14-year-old girl on suspicion of racially aggravated assault, occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault causing actual bodily harm. 

One cinemagoer, who did not wish to be named, said they had initially thought the police were looking for someone who had been reported missing.

Speaking to the Gazette, they said: "The police came up the aisle and told us they were looking for someone – they asked a girl what her name was, then left.

Gazette: Police entered the Odeon cinema in Head Street at about 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon to arrest the 14-year-oldPolice entered the Odeon cinema in Head Street at about 4.30pm on Saturday afternoon to arrest the 14-year-old (Image: Google Street View)

"They came in 15 minutes later and the Odeon manager said staff needed to assist the police whilst they looked for somebody.

"That’s when they started shining their torches and coming up the aisles and got everyone to stand up.

"We all thought 'we’re not really sure what’s going on here'."

After the police had left the cinema, Odeon staff rewound Tom Cruise's latest blockbuster to the point at which it was interrupted, before it was eventually restarted. 

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Officers investigating a racially aggravated assault have arrested a 14-year-old girl.

"We were called to Castle Park in Colchester at about 1pm on Saturday following reports of a racially aggravated assault.

"The victim was approached by a group of girls who assaulted her before running away.

"Officers attended and later in the day arrested a 14-year-old girl, outside the Odeon cinema on suspicion of racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault causing actual bodily harm.

"She has since been released under investigation whilst enquiries continue."