Police probe petrol bomb attack on car

NORTHERN Ireland’s most annoying and irritating sounds have been revealed in a survey on hearing loss.

The research from the University of Manchester was commissioned by Specsavers, and showed that for those surveyed here the most grating sounds were car alarms (46%) and snoring (43%).

The piercing whine of a dentist’s drill (41%) and the sound of nails being scraped down a blackboard (35%) came in next.

With lockdown radically altering daily lives in recent months, the sounds people miss the most were perhaps unsurprising.

Laughter with friends (46%) was the most missed sound, with the hum of a busy bar and waves crashing on the shore all but a distant memory for a fifth of

SOMETIMES all it takes is the sound of the lid coming off a Tupperware box.

The ordinary act of someone about to eat something fills me with dread for the imminent assault on my ears.

I definitely relate to the 51% of people in Specsavers’ survey on sound who cannot enjoy themselves when they hear a noise they find irritating. those surveyed (22%), followed by the hustle and bustle on the high street (20%), and a babbling river (16%).

The favourite sounds for local people were listed as music (49%), birdsong (39%), waves crashing on a shore (32%), a crackling fire (30%), and a baby chuckling (27%).

A total of 84% of those surveyed said losing their hearing would seriously affect their enjoyment of life, and three-quarters (73%) feared losing it as they got older.

The research also showed that hearing loss can be one of the after-effects of a Covid-19 diagnosis.

Specsavers Belfast audiology director Conor Fitzpatrick said: “As our research shows, hearing plays such an important role in our lives.

“We get pleasure in hearing the sounds we love and it enables

I cannot stay around it. I have to either remove myself or drown it out with headphones.

I’ve found over the years, no matter what way you address it, people either go the opposite way to wind you up more, or eat really slowly to prevent noise, which makes it last longer.

Contrary to Specsavers’ findings, I would take a car alarm any day over the relentless chewing, slurping and crunching of people eating.

The worst sound is apples being eaten. I can hear nothing else when that starts.

The problem is mostly sounds in isolated areas — in the office us to communicate with friends and family.

“So we shouldn’t take it for granted, something which 62% of people in Northern Ireland think is easily done.”

Despite this, he said it still took an average person every 10 years to have their hearing tested.

He recommended seeking the advice of an audiologist if symptoms arise, like conversation becoming more muffled or if the volume on the TV starts to creep up.

“If you have been affected by Covid-19 you may also have experienced changes to your hearing, such as deterioration or tinnitus,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.

“While hearing loss cannot be reversed, there are lots of things which can be done to help. So, if you notice any changes at all make sure you book an appointment to see your audiologist.” if people are eating at their desk around you, in the cinema etc. I would ban food in those places.

Other offenders include the shrill sound of cutlery on a plate and the endless scraping of a yoghurt pot as people eke out the remnants of a snack.

I am not alone in this. A relatively new term in the psychology world is misophonia.

While some people may experience a passing annoyance at certain sounds, for people with misophonia, the sound of someone slurping their tea is unbearable.

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of sounds I do like. But my favourite is silence.

POLICE are investigating a petrol bomb attack in Newtownards in the early hours of yesterday morning.

At 1.20am it was reported to police that a car was on fire in Ballyreagh Way.

Officers attended the scene along with firefighters, who extinguished the blaze.

A window of the vehicle had been smashed and a petrol bomb thrown inside, setting it alight.

Extensive damage was caused to the car.

Inspector Ray Shaw said: “We are working to establish a motive for this reckless attack and we are appealing to anyone with information which may assist our investigation to call us.”

Anyone with information should call 101 and quote reference number 131 of 14/08/20, or submit a report online using a non-emergency reporting form at psni.police.uk/makeareport.

You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org.

car alarms

dentist’s drill

nails on a board

snoring