Residents of Newcastle street 'unable to sleep for four months' because of building work

The people of Ilford Road are demanding compensation

Ilford Road, where residents say they have been struggling to sleep (Google Maps)

Newcastle residents are demanding compensation after claiming they were faced with four months of sleepless nights - due to building work they say was“shaking” their homes.

People on Ilford Road said they were disturbed by the noise of work on the Metro rail line between Jesmond and South Gosforth. The noise could be heard from the hours of 1:30am and 4:30am, seven days a week, from April to July, BBC News reported.

Carole Howlett, who lives on the road, told the broadcaster that her "whole house was shaking", and that she could hear "shouting" as augers drilled 15ft into the ground. Ms Howlett likened the noise to "20 pneumatic drills."

Huw Lewis, corporate manager for customer services and communications at Nexus, which is behind the work, apologised to residents.

He admitted the work "did cause disturbance and inconvenience to residents" but said that the firm was in "constant touch with local residents" to "address concerns as soon as they were raised."

He added that the work was "vital" and had to be completed at night to avoid disrupting the line 40,000 passengers. Mr Lewis also said that there was no work on Friday night, but residents disagreed.

Nexus also installed acoustic screening boards to stop the noise, but Ms Howlett said that the residents felt the organisation was “fobbing us off.”

The prospect of the residents receiving compensation remains uncertain. As a public body, Nexus does not need to pay out unless there is a legal requirement, Mr Lewis said.

In a separate incident, residents in Oxford have also complained of having their sleep disrupted due to building at the Westgate shopping centre.

Residents of Turn Again Lane said they were suddenly awoken between 1am and 2am by the noise of the building site, according to the Oxford Times.

One resident, who identified herself as Flavia, told the newspaper she had to take sleeping pills to cope with the noise.

Oxford City Council has since launched an investigation into the disturbance after the developer behind the multi-million pound project denied it had caused the noise.