Letter: Driven away by noisy shows

Sir: Workers have to be offered ear protection when noise levels reach a specified level. Yet the public attending places of "entertainment" can be subjected to painful levels of music and amplified speech.

My family and I have left several cinemas early in the showing of a film because the sound track has been far too loud, and my young daughter was disappointed when the same thing happened when we took her to see two different circuses and a superb (except for the sound) international clown display; even using ear plugs, the noise at these events has been painful and, probably, damaging to hearing.

Unfortunately one has to part with one's money before knowing whether a particular venue uses excessively loud amplification and hence has the potential to damage one's health. With studies showing that many teenagers have impaired hearing, why do we exacerbate this problem by permitting dangerous levels of sound in places of public entertainment?

LILIAN SIMLETT-MOSS

Southport, Merseyside