COMPLAINTS about excessive noise have led to twelve cases being investigated in Herefordshire within the last month.

Noise officers from Herefordshire Council have been working on their new summer service which was launched on June 26 and provides an out-of-hours number for residents to call.

Since the launch, 12 cases have been investigated, 90 monitoring visits made and 30 noise surveillance recordings undertaken.

And the majority of the work- 70 percent- has been undertaken in rural areas outside Hereford city.

The crackdown is part of the Herefordshire Summer Noise Awareness campaign.

Up to 1,000 noise complaints a year are made across Herefordshire, with a 50 percent increase over the summer months.

During the first three weekends the service, which runs between 9pm and 2am on Friday and Saturday nights, has responded to noise complaints from the public and undertaken routine monitoring visits to known noise hotspots and licensed premises.

The complaints have been due to noise coming from licensed, industrial and domestic premises.

One statutory noise notice has been served and warning letters sent.

Housing associations have also been offered assistance with out-of-hours monitoring for tenants suffering from noise and anti-social behaviour problems.

The service will continue until August bank holiday Sunday. The team can be contacted via the council's out-of-hours number 01432 260000.