ON MARCH 31, 1924, a plush new Cinema opened its doors to the public and the movies came to Blackburn.

Described as the "finest cinema in the kingdom" showing "super programmes of the highest class," the Majestic charged the equivalent of 5p for a cheap seat and customer demand was high.

These days, the world of motion pictures is as popular as ever, with movies churned out by highly-paid stars covering every subject from the classics to sci-fi.

The former Majestic has moved with the times. It is now known as the Apollo 5 and is run by one of the youngest female cinema managers in the country.

From a humble start selling popcorn and choc ices, 22-year-old Carole Wolstenholme, a former pupil of Rhyddings High School, Oswaldwistle, has worked her way to the top in just six years.

"She has come a long way in a remarkably short time," said John Merryweather, general manager of Apollo Cinemas, in Coppull, Chorley.

She took over from Andrew Smith, who will run Burnley's new Apollo Leisure nine-screen cinema.

Expecting the youngest female manager in Apollo 5's history to have a blockbuster ego, it was a relief to find a sensitive, down-to-earth and rather shy woman. "The new job is actually bringing me out of my shell," said Carole, of Fountain Street, Accrington, whose daughter Jade, three, is a regular at the Saturday morning family film shows.

"I got a job as an usherette for extra money but I just got a feel for it."

Carole remembers watching her first film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, at the age of six.

"There is something really magical about the cinema," she said. "Even when I was a little child I got the feeling that it was something special."

Never could she have imagined that 16 years later she would be jangling the keys to this magical kingdom.

"Cinema's popularity went down when videos came along but it now plays a major part in people's lives. People realise videos can't compare to the cinema experience, which is much better technically.

"People enjoy the atmosphere of watching a film with a lot of people and without distractions. It can be a form of escape not to think about anything in your life for two hours."

Carole isn't the only woman breaking into a traditionally male domain. Nichola Murphy, 22, is the first female chief projectionist at the cinema. She said: "It is pretty unusual for women to do this job because there is a lot of heavy lifting involved but I enjoy it."

Carole can often guess which film people have come to see just by looking at them.

"Films like Emma attract the older, more intelligent, sensitive types whereas Batman and Robin attracts teenagers and children," she said. "Star Trek does attract a lot of people who wear anoraks. For films like Trainspotting and Pulp Fiction, the cinema tends to be full of students."

She added: "We get quite a lot of arguments between couples. Women tend to want to watch the romantic films while men like the action movies."

Carole sees some strange sights working at the flicks.

"Two girls were dancing away on the stage before the start of the film. The room was empty and they must have thought the film projection was automated but we still have projectionists. One man fell asleep through a film and all the way through the cleaning-up afterwards. Another walked out with a giant speaker up his jumper.

"We see some people doing naughty things, as well."

Carole is a big film buff, her favourites being Leaving Las Vegas and Casino. Her top actors are Nicholas Cage and Michelle Pfeiffer and she believes Arnold Schwarzenegger has no talent. One of the most tearjerking films screened at the cinema was Schindler's List.

"Some German people watched it here," she said. "They were absolutely heartbroken."

Audiences are no longer shaken by old horror films such as The Exorcist, which required a St John Ambulance on stand-by duty outside the cinema when it was first screened in the '70s.

Carole said: "People demand more special effects nowadays, rather than things that go bump in the night."

The next big thing, she said, is in virtual reality films.

"They tried 3D but really didn't perfect it. Virtual reality is the future, where the audiences will be able to interact within the film."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.