WHETHER they were Team Edward or Team Jacob, Twilight fans were out in force last night as the latest film hit screens at a minute past midnight.

The wait was finally over for Twi-Hard fans both young and old who couldn’t contain their excitement any longer as they arrived at Empire Cinema, in Greenbridge, for a special Twi-athlon allowing fans to watch 490 minutes of their favourite saga, including the brand new box office smash The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn - Part 1.

Ahead of the special screening, which kicked off at 4.30pm, students at New College were preparing for the big night and declaring their love for either Team Edward, in support of actor Robert Pattinson, or Team Jacob, played by Taylor Lautner.

Rebecca Carter, of Nythe, and Harriet Jones, of Liden, both 16 and on Team Edward, had booked their tickets for the midnight screening and were looking forward to seeing how the book had been adapted for the screen.

Rebecca said: “I prefer Edward, he’s really hot. I read the books to start with and then watched the films, but they aren’t as good as the books. We’re really excited about the latest film, the book was amazing so it should be good.

“I don’t think we could sit there for so long for the Twi-athlon, but we are going to the midnight showing.”

Lewis Frost, 17, from Devizes, said he was more of a Team Jacob fan. “I don’t like Edward, he is too much of a ladies’ man,” he said.

Breaking Dawn is set to smash all box office records with Empire Cinemas selling more 40, 000 advance tickets nationally In Swindon, almost five screens had completely sold out of tickets for the the latest film and staff were expecting more than of 700 fans to descend on the cinema at midnight.

Shauna Hart, 13, and Leah Hall, who was celebrating her 14th birthday, travelled from Malmesbury for the screening.

Leah said: “We are just so excited, we have been screaming all week and now my throat is sore.”

Shauna said: “The books are better than the films because they are more descriptive and with the books, you can understand why Bella is so confused about Jacob and Edward. It is so exciting, we can’t stop screaming.

“We can’t wait for the Twi-athlon, it’s a long time to sit still but it is so worth it.”

Friends Kimberley Richmond, 19, and Hannah White, 20, both of Royal Wootton Bassett, and Renee McCrea, 20, of Oakhurst, donned Twilight T-shirts, spooky contact lenses, fangs, and Team Edward shirts and baseball hats for the night.

Hannah said: “I bought the book when it first came out when I was about 16. We have paid to watch each film about six times at the cinema and we’ve got all the memorabilia.”

Renee said: “I’ve booked the day Empire duty manager Kirsty Mulholland said: “Twilight is a bit like Harry Potter – it’s the adventure that everyone loves and the whole Team Edward and Team Jacob thing.

“I love working nights like this, I love that everyone is so interested in the cinema and everyone is in such a good mood.