A PHOTOGRAPHER and her model had to be rescued after they were trapped in a derelict building.

Hazel Mansell-Greenwood and Melissa Finch went into the New Palace Theatre in Union Street, Plymouth for a photoshoot Wednesday afternoon.

Photographer Hazel said: “I took Melissa in there because I had bought a ballgown and wanted to do some shots upstairs before they start doing it up.”

She and Melissa got permission from workmen in the building and at first there were “a lot of people coming and going”.

But after more than an hour they realised that they could no longer hear anyone downstairs and went to investigate.

In the pitch blackness of the dangerous old building they realised that they had been locked in.

Hazel rang the police and was told they would contact someone from the city council.

“I thought we could be there all night,” she said. “So I rang 999 and asked for the fire service.”

A crew from Greenbank fire station turned up and set them free.

The firemen turned up at about 4.50pm yesterday, half an hour after the women realised they were alone in the darkened theatre with no one for company but the Palace’s reputed ghost.

Hazel later put a video of the experience on Youtube.

Via Plymouthherld