Safety fears blamed as Britney disappoints fans

Safety fears led to Britney Spears being whisked past thousands of waiting fans at the UK premiere of her movie, it was claimed today.

The young star was booed and jeered by the restless crowd after she turned up an hour late and failed to do a walkabout in London’s Leicester Square last night.

However a spokeswoman for her film company said she wanted to meet the fans but was advised against it to prevent ‘‘security’’ problems.

Spears was ushered into the Odeon cinema, flanked by minders, without signing autographs or greeting fans. However she did briefly appear on the balcony overlooking the square shortly before the screening of her movie Crossroads.

A spokeswoman for Momentum Pictures said: ‘‘Britney Spears’s main priority at the Crossroads premiere was to meet and greet her fans.

‘‘It was in fact her decision to go back outside twice to wave to crowds. However after assessing the situation on the ground it was deemed a security risk by all involved for her to venture too far into the crowds

‘‘Safety has to be paramount, not just for Britney but for her fans.’’

However there was no apology for failing to spend more time with loyal supporters who were upset by the brief appearance, with some in tears.

Jane Willis said she had travelled with her daughter Gemma, 11, from Chingford, Essex, to see the star. They had been at the cinema five hours before Spears arrived.

‘‘Gemma’s crying her eyes out because she couldn’t see a thing,’’ she said. ‘‘How does Britney expect people to go and see her film if she can’t be bothered to say hello to her fans?’’

Fran Handley, 16, of Uckfield, East Sussex, said she waited for nearly six hours in the hope of getting an autograph.

‘‘All I saw was a flash of sequin and that was it. It wasn’t worth my time.’’

The 20-year-old blonde star has notched up more than 30 million album sales and has now tried her hand at movies with the coming of age roadtrip film which opens nationwide on Friday.

Last week’s premiere of Ali G In Da House saw comic Sacha Baron Cohen putting on a spectacle for the crowds.

He arrived in an open top car and was flanked by bikini clad dancers as he wandered around posing for photographs and meeting fans.