ODEON has moved to reassure customers after a visitor to a rival cinema group died when his head became stuck in an electric recliner seat.

The man died after the incident at a Vue cinema in Birmingham.

The man, who has not been identified, was trying to retrieve his phone after it dropped between the new Gold Class seats at the end of a film at Star City leisure complex.

An investigation has now been launched by Environmental Health and Vue. The footrest is believed to have been raised when he went to get the phone, but it went down and trapped his head.

A spokesperson for ODEON, which operates the Bh2 cinema complex in Bournemouth and also has recliner seats, said: "Safety is very important to ODEON, therefore our recliner seats have built-in features that have been designed to protect our guests and minimise the risk of injury."