From “barking cats” and noisy gulls to a dispute over a ice cream van’s tune, noise officers at Aberdeenshire Council have been kept busy.
The council has released full details of the 377 noise complaints it dealt with over one year as locals were driven to distraction by neighbours and animals alike.
One woman in Laurencekirk got in touch about her ongoing battle with an ice cream van.
“Spoke to the complainant,” the officer wrote. “Ice cream van parks on entrance to her street every Wednesday and chimes many times from 7pm to 9.15pm.
“She has tried to stop the chiming by moving her car to block access but the ice cream van continues to disturb her street.”
Others also went to great lengths to put a stop to their misery.
One man, who has a long term feud with a rottweiler known simply as “the big one”, has resorted to CCTV to catch it in the act.
The officer records: “I have watched CCTV footage recorded, which does show the dog patrolling the fence and even with his front legs up on the fence when the complainer is in his garden.
“However, I am sure this is fairly normal behaviour of a dog of that nature to guard its territory and I am sure if it wanted to get over the fence it would have done.”
Meanwhile an anonymous call about “four dogs and cats outside barking” caused a council employee passing on the message to comment: “Didn’t know cats could bark.”
Other animals have been causing trouble too.
One lady known only as Mrs R, “complained bitterly” about the noise from seagulls.
“She reports the noise is so great that none of the family are getting any sleep,” the records state.
Another woman phoned about the noise of the “chickens crowing” next door.
“The complainant thinks there are around 12 hens, as well as new chicks, although there are no cockerels,” the noise officer wrote.
Despite animals being the main cause of complaints, the odd human also crops up.
One resident got in touch to complain about his neighbour who puts his washing machine on after coming in late.
“Complainant alleging that upstairs neighbour is at pub every night and comes home and makes excessive noise preparing food in kitchen, banging doors, appliances, heavy thumps after 11pm.
“I explained that noise is due to poor insulation. He is adamant that noise is due to excessive behaviour.”
Aberdeenshire Council declined to comment.