TWELVE speakers have been seized from a small flat in a tower block in Cowley following a string of complaints about noise.

Oxford City Council acted on Wednesday after the Hockmore Tower resident, Hayley White, broke a noise abatement notice.

She was not in her flat at the time, so the council used a locksmith to obtain access. In total, 21 items of stereo equipment were seized from the home.

Neighbour Terry Cann, 55, said: “Sometimes they are very, very quiet, then it can be boom, boom, boom.

“At night they have the lights turned out, but are still playing music. Sometimes it is very loud.”

Tinamaria Waters, 44, said: “The noise has been waking people up in the early hours of the morning.

“It is not fair, especially to their next door neighbours It’s not right.”

A 71-year-old neighbour said: “All I can hear is the bass – it is thump, thump, thump – and it gives me a headache. It was really inconsiderate.”

The council began investigating the problems in November 2010, after complaints about loud music into the early hours.

Council officers put noise monitoring equipment into neighbouring flats and a noise abatement notice was issued the following month.

Out-of-hours officers witnessed several breaches of the notice and a warrant to seize equipment was obtained from Oxford Magistrates’ Court.

The equipment is being retained until the council considers its next step.

Councillor John Tanner, board member for a Cleaner, Greener Oxford, said: “This case sends a strong message that Oxford City Council will not tolerate people who ignore warnings about noise nuisance.

“I am pleased the sound equipment has been seized and it should provide some respite to long-suffering residents.

“Nobody minds the occasional party, but neighbours should not have to put up with this kind of anti-social behaviour.”