NOISE coming from a slaugherhouse, which nearby residents have said is like a ‘helicopter hovering over a house’, needs to be stopped.

That’s the view of people of Burnley Road, Colne, who are fed up with noise coming from Woodhead Brothers Meat Company abattoir.

They said the noise has been a problem since Easter and consists of loud humming which can be heard almost all the time.

Jennifer Jenkins, of Burnley Road said: “It seems like a helicopter over our house.”

Her neighbour Linda Lancaster said: “It’s atrocious. We have complained but nothing is being done. We can hear it over the TV.”

Melonie Green, of Chad Street, which faces directly on to the factory, added: “I have to wear earplugs at night, or I can’t sleep for the noise.”

Residents, who held a demonstration outside the abattoir recently, said they had raised the matter with councillors and they want the Environment Agency to take action against the factory.

They have also raised concerns about a smell coming from the factory which they said has been a problem for decades.

It comes as animal rights activists from the Colne branch of group The Save Movement held a12-hour vigil outside the slaughterhouse. The protest aimed to encourage people to adopt a vegan lifestyle and to highlight the ‘barbarity’ of the industry. The abattoir provides meat to Morrisons.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said it had received several complaints about the noise which followed the starting up of a new plant on site for the production of pet food.

The spokesman said: “The Environment Agency regulates Woodhead Brothers Meat Co. for noise. We have received a number of complaints through our incident reporting line (0800 807060) from residents about the noise since Easter. These complaints followed the starting up of a new plant on site for the production of pet food. The Environment Agency has been supporting the site to investigate the noise since it was first reported and by working with one of the complainants they have identified the source of the noise.

“Due to the layout of the plant, the source cannot be moved to a location where the noise would be reduced.”

The spokesman said that Woodhead’s has now ordered sound absorbing boards to address the noise issues, which will be installed by the end of August. He added: “They are to be placed along the fence line closest to the noise source.

“This is common practice to control noises generated from machinery on sites.

“It is anticipated that these absorbing boards will be installed by the end of August.

“If this does not reduce the noise Environment Agency will continue to take action to resolve the issue as we are aware of its effects on local residents."

A spokesman for Morrisons added: “We are working closely with residents and the Environment Agency to resolve this.”