Couple forced to call cops after getting trapped in Madame Tussauds wax museum for hours
A couple locked inside a Madame Tussauds museum for more than four hours have said it was the “worst experience of their lives.”
Michelle Robinson, 44, and Stephen Robinson, 48, found themselves trapped in the world-famous wax museum in Blackpool, Lancs., after visiting earlier this month.
Michelle says she was forced to pee in a bin, and they both had to raid a bar for drinks and snacks before they were eventually freed.
The pair say they had been warned by a member of staff that the museum was closing soon, but as they headed towards the exit, all the lights went out.
They say they found chains placed over the exits, and despite calling out for help and banging on the building’s windows, they couldn’t raise anyone.
They tried calling relatives, but after four and a half hours called the police, who told them to call Lancashire Fire service, who managed to alert a manager to let them out.
Michelle said, “We were in disbelief.
“We couldn’t believe that such a big company would let this happen.
“I was shaking and I was sick of the bin, because I was so nervous.
“We just wanted to get out of there so we could have panicked and smashed the door or the windows, but we didn’t.
“I was trying so hard to have a panic attack, but I am claustrophobic – there is nothing worse than being locked in somewhere when you are claustrophobic.
“It was the worst experience I’ve ever had in my life.”
The couple decided to visit Madame Tussauds in March this year as Michelle had always wanted to go and see the waxwork figures.
Michelle says they were told by a member of staff that Madame Tussauds would be closing shortly, so they decided to make their way to the exit, when the lights suddenly went out.
The pair then realised that there was nobody else in the building and that there were chains on the doors, which meant they were locked in.
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Stephen and Michelle were both worried that there would be a serious incident, such as a fire, and they wouldn’t be able to leave.
Michelle said: “I was thinking ‘what would we do if there was a fire in here?’
“I knew we would be burned alive and that we would be dead.
“The music had been left playing, I was worried that it would overheat and that it would set on fire, and then we wouldn’t have been able to get out.”
Michelle, of St Helens, Merseyside, tried to use the tourist attraction’s toilets, but they were locked, so she had to have a pee in a bin.
She said: “The toilets were locked and there were chains on the fire doors.
“I had to go and have a wee in the bin, it was degrading.
“We went to the bar area and took some sweets, crisps, and a drink.
“We did offer to pay for it because we didn’t want to be classed as thieves.”
Stephen, a charity worker, and Michelle decided to start banging on the windows to attempt to get help from members of the public.
They contacted Lancashire Police, who told them to contact the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, and they were eventually let out by a Madame Tussauds manager.
Michelle, who paid around $37 (£28) for two tickets, said: “We were banging on the doors to get out and to get the attention of people walking past.
“People were laughing at us, they thought we were messing.
“I rang the police and they told me to ring the fire brigade, who said they couldn’t help.
“We logged the incident with the police, they got in contact with the staff at Madame Tussauds.”
Michelle, who said that visiting Madame Tussauds was on her bucket list, was offered a free overnight ticket and complimentary tickets for the Blackpool Tower and the nearby Sea Life Centre.
But she has vowed never to visit the tourist attraction again.
Michelle said: “I enjoyed going round Madame Tussauds, the staff were really welcoming and nice when we first went into the building.
“I enjoyed it, but I did think it was a little bit overrated. I thought it would be a bit better and that there would be more statues.
“I would never go back there.
“We were thinking of visiting London and visiting the London one, but I couldn’t put my trust in them.”
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “We were called at 6:10 pm on 8th March to Madame Tussauds, Blackpool, to a report that two members of the public were locked in the premises.
“The manager of the premises attended at 6:34 pm to unlock the premises, and the members of the public left at 6:44 pm.”
Madame Tussauds Blackpool and the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service have been contacted for a comment.
