THE cult sex film which has been banned in many parts of the country has been given the all clear in Bury. The unanimous decision to release "Crash" was made after Bury's moral guardians watched a special preview of the film, which shows people getting sexually excited by car crashes.

The borough's licensing committee agreed it was fit to be seen locally after the "behind closed doors" screening at Warners at Pilsworth on Friday.

The David Cronenberg film has already been banned by Westminster Council, who cover many big West End cinemas.

But Bury's licensing committee chairman, Coun Trevor Holt said the committee saw no reason to ban it locally.

He said: "Once there had been complaints about the film we had to see it to make a descion about whether it should be shown or not.

"Although it was a bit 'spicy' there was not really any violence at all. And it has got an '18' certificate, so young people won't be seeing it. Therefore we saw no reason to ban it."

The council confirmed last week that two people had already objected to the film being shown. The film has snowballed in controversy for its dark and lurid subject matter.

Based on the novel by J. G. Ballard, "Crash" features a shadowy world of crash survivors who are excited by crash scenes and simulations of famous wrecks.

Last May, "Crash" was awarded a Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for its "originality, daring and audacity", and after much deliberation, the British Board of Film Censors granted the film an '18' certificate.

Lynn Blatchford of Warner Brothers said: "As long as the licensing committee are happy with it, we are happy to screen it." The film goes on general release in June.

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