IT has taken 35 years, but Monty Python fans have finally persuaded Bournemouth to “Release Brian!”

In 1980, Bournemouth councillors effectively prevented Monty Python’s Life of Brian from being shown in the town by giving it an “X” certificate.

But now a fan has spent more than £2,000 on hiring the town’s ABC cinema for an invitation-only screening – and the council has relented to give it a “15” rating.

The private screening was organised by train driver Adrian Cox, 51, of Barton-on-Sea, who remembers the original Brian row.

He wanted to see Life of Brian on the 48ft ABC1 screen before its owner, the Odeon chain, closes it in favour of a new multiplex at Exeter Road.

“For my 50th birthday last year, I organised a showing of The Railway Children at the ABC,” he said.

“As I was leaving the cinema, I was talking to a friend and said ‘They’ve never played Life of Brian. Wouldn’t it be good if they could play that before the cinema closes down?’

“It played on my mind until last year I decided to find out who owned the rights to the film.”

The comedy, about a bystander mistaken for Jesus, provoked a fierce debate in 1979-80, after the British Board of Film Censors rated the film “AA”, for showing to over-14s only.

Decency campaigner Mary Whitehouse was among those who condemned the film as blasphemous and some councils banned it without watching it.

Bournemouth councillors watched the film at the ABC before giving it an “X” certificate, restricting it to over-18s. But the distributor had already said it would not release the film to towns where the “AA” certificate did not apply.

Mr Cox wrote to the council’s licensing department for permission to show the film on the afternoon of Thursday, October 15,

“They sent an email back saying ‘In February 1980 we made it an X certificate, but for October 15 you can have it as a 15’,” he said.

Bournemouth council confirmed its officers allowed the screening after consulting with the chair and vice-chair of the licensing board.

Back in 1980, some members of Bournemouth council wanted to go further and ban the film altogether.

Poole councillors also watched it but allowed it to be shown at their Arts Centre, with the “AA” certificate. A local We Want Brian campaign was set up to demand the film was shown.