Screens to deaden the sound created at Garsington Opera Festival are to be removed because they created more noise than they prevented.

Organisers of the opera have been ordered to take down the screens, but told that they must find an effective solution to the noise problem, which affects residents in the Southend part of the village.

The acoustic screens were put up in the stableyard and farmyard off Home Farm, near Garsington Manor, where the open-air opera festival takes place every summer.

Resident Peter Rodger told South Oxfordshire District Council northern area planning committee: "Instead of stopping noise from the opera, they (the screens) created a far worse noise themselves.

"The acoustic panels rattled against each other and just replaced one noise with a worse one."

Ann Tomline, a member of the committee, said: "They rattled because they were not put up properly.

"Neighbours require some sort of noise protection and the opera should work with them to come up with something which will work."

Garsington Opera was granted a variation on its planning permission and now does not need to put up acoustic screens in the stableyard and farmyard.

All other screens must be maintained.

The opera company was also granted permission to change the use of a stable block so it can be used for opera activities, including costume and scenery stores and a production office.

Mrs Tomline welcomed the move, which will mean the refurbishment of the listed building.