Cinema boss Charles Morris is glad to bow to demands from some unusual "university students" and bring back matinees.

When the Plaza Cinema in Skipton holds the first afternoon show next Thursday, seats will be filled by University of the Third Age (UA3) members from Skipton, Settle and Ilkley.

The UA3 is a national group which aims to "encourage lifelong learning for those no longer in full-time gainful employment".

It was retired teacher Shirley Wolfenden, 69, who issued the challenge to Mr Morris, one of the UK's last independent cinema owners.

His Plaza premiered the Calendar Girls film about the 11 women from the Skipton area who stripped for a charity calendar and raised £1 million for Leukaemia Research.

Mrs Wolfenden, of Settle, who worked at the former Burley-in-Wharfedale Middle School, said: "If you want to go to the cinema in the afternoon in this area you have to travel to Bradford or Preston - a long distance. And, if you miss a film, it never seems to come back again. So I approached Mr Morris about a matinee and he said he would have a go."

She said she had lobbied U3A members in Settle, Skipton and Ilkley and there seemed to be a demand.

Mr Morris said: "This is something we have always wanted to do on a regular basis. I have a permanent midweek show at one of my other cinemas and it is a great success but previous attempts at Skipton met with mixed and baffling results.

"People tell me they would like to see a film in the afternoon so they can get home while it is still light and there is frequent transport."

The first matinee - curtain up 2.30pm - will show Finding Neverland, about Peter Pan author J M Barrie and starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Dustin Hoffman and Julie Christie. Other films in the pipeline are Ladies in Lavender, Bridget Jones the Edge of Reason and Phantom of the Opera.