NOISY neighbours are being targeted as residents are being encouraged to report nuisance sounds.

Copeland council is asking people to record their noise pollution experiences via The Noise App.

Offering a free way for residents to record a 30-second clip, the new app is used as evidence for the Environmental Health team to investigate and, if necessary, take action.

A spokesman for Copeland Council said: “The app has been introduced to offer an alternative way for residents to report noise complaints as noise can occur at any time, day or night.

“This way of reporting and requesting an investigation by our team may be preferred to conventional methods such as telephoning or emailing.”

Once the council receives a recording, it is then passed over to the Environmental Health team, which will then carry out a range of investigative measures.

If the investigation team finds the noise source to exceed a volume of seriousness, determined as a statutory nuisance which will affect the surrounding area, then an abatement notice will be served by Copeland Council.

The spokesman added: “We appreciate the Noise App won’t be for everyone, and we assure those who prefer not to use it that we will continue to investigate and monitor noise complaints raised in the traditional way.”

So far, the investigation team have received nine complaints since the app’s introduction.

The free-to-download app can be found on any app store.

Recordings require information on the noise, such as what type of sound it is, its location, intensity, and the address of where it is coming from.

l For more information, visit: www.thenoiseapp.com.