PARALYMPIAN heroine Lady Tanni Grey-Thompson has condemned Darlington's Vue Cinema's disabled access after being unable to sit with her family as she watched the Stan and Olly film at the weekend.

The multiple medal winner, who lives locally, took to Twitter to complain about the treatment at Vue on Saturday.

She said: "Gone to cinema with my family. I can't with them.

"Also I have to wait for someone to take me in the lift. This is a new cinema.

"I'm now just sitting near the lift like Billy-no-mates."

Later, she said "Thank you to the Vue cinema member of staff who was serving on the tills, who got me to the start of the film (just).

"I basically had to sit in a box, away from my family. Wall in front. Three wheelchair spaces and three carer spaces.

"Choice was, I sit on my own or another family member sat on their own."

She later joked: "The worst thing about tonight (for the family) was that I had the chocolate."

Lady Grey-Thompson said one of the members of staff had been fantastic but she was disappointed with the whole experience.

A spokeswoman for Vue said: "It is our intention that every visitor to a Vue site has a positive and enjoyable experience.

“In accordance with UKCA guidelines, which are applicable to all Vue sites, wheelchair seating should be proportionate to the total seating capacity in the screen, with appropriate access to emergency exits.

“At Darlington, wheelchair seating is available at the front of the screen, providing ample seating for both wheelchair access and a row of supplementary seating. In addition, the screen has a bay towards the rear of the screening area which can be accessed by an elevator and has an additional seat.

“Lift access is available at all times for all guests from the entrance level to foyer. Access to the floor where all wheelchair bays are located is controlled by a staff member for safety reasons which we acknowledge can cause an inconvenience for visitors, particularly those who require wheelchair assistance.

“We are currently looking at our lift policy to create a more efficient process for visitors.”

Lady Grey-Thompson retired from athletics in 2007 after winning a haul of 16 Paralympic medals – including 11 gold, four silver and a bronze – and 13 World Championship medals throughout her career.