LAST week’s Malmesbury screening of the latest James Bond action thriller Skyfall was saved at the last minute after vital computer equipment broke down.

All 120 seats for the Friday show had been sold out in advance when the server developed a fault as the film was being loaded in the morning.

Town councillor Charles Vernon, immediately turned to Wootton Bassett-based Dolby International for advice and before long technical chief David Edwards had arrived with a brand new one.

It is the second time the firm has stepped in to save the day. The popular movie sessions in Malmesbury were on the verge of being abandoned after it was decided that the digital projector being used by a rural cinema scheme was too fragile to cope with being transported round the county.

Dolby heard how volunteers fought to come up with a business plan and were struggling to find replacement equipment. So they offered some of their high tech kit, which meant blockbusters could continue to be screened in the town hall.

A relieved Cllr Vernon said: “These items are free on loan and it is a wonderful service that they support our community in this way.”

He explained one of the questions the volunteers had faced repeatedly was what would happen if any of their kit broke down.

“This is the first time that we have had a major problem and Dolby have rushed to assist us,” he said.

Skyfall was packed for both the Friday and Monday screenings. The new adaptation of Great Expectations and arthouse film Amour are also on the programme for this month.