Loud music is making life a misery for widower

9:30am Saturday 19th July 2008

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A WIDOWED pensioner has had to resort to sleeping pills to block out his noisy neighbours.

Weaver Vale Housing Trust customer George Braggar, who has lived in Moss Bank for 21 years, said his neighbour’s loud music, which is played until 11.30pm every night, is making life unbearable.

“It’s making me really upset, I can’t get to sleep,” he said.

“I’ve been to the doctors and he has had to put me on sleeping tablets, it’s ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.”

The 70-year-old is furious that young tenants are being housed so near to a pensioner’s home to begin with.

He said: “It seems bizarre to put youngsters in here. They should put them somewhere else where they can play their music as loud as they want without bothering anyone.

“I have lived in Winsford for 40 years and have never had anything like this before.

“My wife Sylvia died in 1994 so I’m on my own.

“My daughters Susan and Michelle have been trying to help me but there’s not much they can do, it just never stops.”

A spokesman for Vale Royal Borough Council confirmed it had issued a formal warning to the trouble causers.

He said: “Following Mr Bragger’s noise complaint he was immediately issued with log sheets to enable him to record the problem, which he returned to the council.

“Following analysis of the log sheets and subsequent monitoring that supported Mr Bragger’s complaints the council served a statutory notice on Mr Bragger’s neighbour on June 27.”

“A warning letter was sent to the person responsible on June 30 when further complaints were received.

“The next stage is for Mr Bragger to have a digital recorder installed to continue to monitor the noise, which will enable prosecution.

“The council has tried on a number of occasions to contact Mr Bragger to achieve this.

“The use of further powers including the seizure of the equipment will be considered should the noise nuisance continue.”

Steve Jennings, chief executive of Weaver Vale Housing Trust, said: “The property above Mr Bragger has been let in accordance with the Trust’s allocation policy.

“This type of issue is not about a conflict of ages, as we have many instances of older and younger people living quite happily next door to each other.

“It is usually a conflict of lifestyles, and the allegations regarding the noise level are under investigation by the Tenancy Management team at the Trust.

“We are arranging to visit Mr Bragger and he will be advised of any developments.”