A London mum is taking legal action against Cineworld after they ‘traumatised’ her young children with the trailers before Lilo & Stitch.

Jenny and Robert Ellice took their two sons, Max, four, and Bertie, five, to see Lilo & Stitch at Cineworld in Enfield, north London.

They paid £85 for the ‘4DX’ viewing which promises ‘an extreme sensory experience’ which moves the seat while watching the film (who ever knew that was a thing?).

They sat down to watch the adverts and trailers, as you do, but were shocked to see trailers for films Jurassic World Rebirth, horror film Megan, and one other horror film, which were all PG-13! Well above the ages of young Max and Bertie.

Jenny explained:

‘The first one was Jurassic World, and I thought that seems a bit off, but I thought it could be a PG film like Lilo & Stitch.’

‘The seats move really violently and my boys like dinosaurs so it’s fine.

‘The next one was Megan, and I was sure that wasn’t a PG – it got really graphic really quickly.

‘It’s like those Chuckie movies.’

Jenny and Robert scrambled to cover their children’s eyes (seriously), but the seats then started moving and they are the boys were left “terrified” and “rigid with fear”.

The boys were so scared that the family left the cinema altogether, missing out on Lilo & Stitch! What a waste of £85!

Cineworld staff apologised for the mistake and offered free tickets, but Jenny says this isn’t good enough.

Describing the impact on her sons, she explained:

‘Max has been waking up screaming and Rob said to his teacher yesterday that he was scared from the cinema.

‘But you just don’t know with kids, they’re like sponges, you think they’re not listening, but they are.

‘They were pretty graphic trailers. There was swearing and screaming in them – my eldest was rigid with fear. I had my hands over their eyes.

‘I had no idea why they were showing these trailers for a U movie – these are four-year-olds exposed to graphic swearing and violence.

‘They were terrified.’

Jenny then reached out to Cineworld via Instagram to complain some more, but was told the cinema would take no further action after they had been offered free tickets – take them or leave them.

So Jenny has now instructed her solicitors to take further action, and also contacted Enfield council and the film licensing/rating body.

She explained:

‘We were the only ones who went into the 4CX showing.

‘We got popcorn and drinks, and they were so excited. They were all happy with their 3D glasses.

‘Max hasn’t even started school yet, with a big corporation this shouldn’t be happening.

‘If they had just put me in touch with someone from head officer then it would show they care.

‘I want to ensure this never happens again as the cinema are not taking it seriously at all.

‘Had the cinema had the decency to speak to me about it I probably wouldn’t have taken legal action, but they have treated my complaint as more of an annoyance.

‘Children at that age are like sponges and so impressionable, even just the noises of violence can leave a lasting impression and it’s just not something two young children, especially one of pre-school age should ever be exposed to.’

Well, I get where she’s coming from, but it’s still pretty shocking that she’s got solicitors involved in all this. The cinema apologised and offered free tickets, what else does she want? Well, I suppose she wants wants cash + a commitment that they will no longer show PG-13 trailers in a U movie. Maybe if they would have just done the latter, Jenny wouldn’t have got litigious. But then again, who knows?

One thing I’m absolutely certain of – any compensation they get is not going to the children.

For the time a fight broke out during a screening of the Garfield movie, click HERE. Surely that would have been more traumatising for the kids?