False alarm evacuates 1,000

AROUND 1,000 people were evacuated from a popular entertainment venue, leaving hundreds of Valentine's couples out in the cold.

The Omni Centre in Edinburgh was emptied at around 10:15pm on Saturday after lights in the main complex overheated and set off the alarms. Crowds of people poured into the street and stood for almost an hour while fire crews searched the complex.

The centre, at the top of Leith Walk, has five restaurants, a cinema, two pubs, a comedy club, a nightclub and a gym.

A fire service spokeswoman said: "It was a false alarm due to overheating of lights."