Noisy neighbours in Oxford have been told to keep the volume down - or risk having their equipment seized and smashed.

The get-tough warning has come from the city council's environmental health team who now have powers to search, capture and destroy anything deemed to be causing a noise nuisance.

And to prove their point, they showed the Oxford Mail a haul of equipment seized from nuisance households in the past year.

The loot included televisions, stereo systems, a guitar, video recorders, alarm clocks - and scores of DVDs and videos.

Even vinyl records of Phil Collins' band Genesis, Mike Oldfield, Fleetwood Mac and Elvis Presley were captured.

City council public health manager Ian Wright said: "This is how some people are - they could not care less. We have seized equipment three times from one person's place.

"But this is not something we do lightly. These are people who have gone right to the end of the process - we have given them every chance, they just haven't taken it.

"I would say that people should respect their neighbours in the way they would want to be respected, and be aware of the powers we have.

"If people do cause a noise nuisance, they could end up losing their equipment - and it could cost a lot of money."

Those who have equipment seized have 28 days to buy it back - but at a price calculated on what it has cost to mount the seizure operation.

And, considering it takes a minimum of four individuals to enter a property, that is a lot of money.

Eventually the property is destroyed and sent to landfill.

In 2005/06, the Town Hall's environmental health team received a record 2,817 calls - a 20 per cent increase on 2004/05 and more than twice the national average for councils.

If noise complaints cannot be resolved amicably, environmental health officers will record disturbance levels, issue noise abatement notices and then seize equipment.

The city council can also prosecute offenders, who face a maximum £5,000 fine in magistrates' court.

There are currently 70 noise nuisance investigations being carried out across the city.

City councillor Jean Fooks, executive member for cleaner city, said: "Noise is a big problem in Oxford.

"This equipment has caused more than enough nuisance. Destroying it sends a strong message that people must be more considerate to their neighbours or risk losing their CDs and stereos."