Woman feels 'violated' by noisy neighbour

A FERNAGH woman has said she is left feeling "violated" in her own home on a day-to-day basis, because of high levels of noise pollution emanating from the home of her next-door-neighbour.

Sheila-Mary McCoy contacted the Times this week claiming that she was at her wits' end trying to cope with living beside her noisy neighbour at Number 86 Princes Crescent.

"This is a problem I have had for a year-and-a-half now with the man who lives in the house beside me. He returns to his house late at night, and I am fortunate if I can then go to work after six hours sleep - five is the average thanks to his slamming and shouting - my walls shake and the window rattle," said Sheila-Mary.

"He has had his TV up so loud it bounces off my walls, the same with his music, shouts at me in the street, and moans and groans through the walls.

"I have been driven to the edge of a nervous breakdown and only for the support of family, friends and other neighbours, I don't know how I would have coped. Is there anyone out there who can help stop this torture?"

Sheila-Mary said she had contacted the Council's Environmental Health Department as well as local police about the situation in the past.

A spokesperson for Newtownabbey Borough Council said: “The Council can confirm that a complaint has been received and the investigation is ongoing.”

Newtownabbey DPP Manager, Mr Campbell Dixon, said he too was aware of the problem, but believed it had been resolved some time ago.

"This matter came to our attention a while back, and there had been interventions by police, and it was my understanding that the problems had been resolved,” he said.

“In fact I received a complimentary email of acknowledgement and thanks from the lady in question praising the police for their approaches. However, if it would appear that the problem has re-surfaced, we will certainly look into it again."