Sailor’s torment: ‘I keep hearing national anthem’
ALL INCLUSIVE 7 NIGHTS PP
A GRANDAD is being driven potty by a rare ear condition which means he constantly hears the national anthem booming out in his head.
Ex-sailor Ron Goldspink, 87, has to endure the sound of a male voice choir’s hearty rendition of God Save The Queen on a near-constant loop,
The choir bursts into full voice every 49 seconds, causing Ron to hear it up to a maddening 1,400 times a day. Now the widower hopes to meet the Queen when she visits his city later this month and tell her about his plight.
He joked: “I’ve obviously heard the anthem played but not so often it would get stuck in my head.
“It’ll be funny to tell the Queen I’ve heard it more times than her.”
Ron’s problem is down to a bizarre form of tinnitus, which normally causes ringing or buzzing in the ears.
The rare variant, known as musical ear syndrome or musical hallucination, causes sufferers to hear the same tune over and over again.
Experts say it is usually music remembered from distant childhood such as a hymn or Christmas carol.
But former merchant seaman Ron is stuck with the royal theme tune – and baffled as to why. He added: “It’s really strange. I’ve never heard a male choir sing before, let alone heard them sing the national anthem.
“They are really good singers, but I just don’t want to hear it any more.”
When Ron, of Hull, first started hearing the music he accused council workmen outside his home of constantly playing it. Then he started asking neighbours why they kept on doing the same.
When inquiries found nobody anywhere near him was responsible, he went to a specialist and was diagnosed four months ago.
Ron, whose wife Jean died in 2010, now uses his telly to drown out the choir and pops in a hearing aid.
He added: “The specialists are doing all they can. They said they can help stop it with sound therapy and background noise.”
David Stockdale, chief executive of the British Tinnitus Association, said: “Musical hallucination usually involves an orchestra or a choir but it can be a nursery rhyme or even a rock band.
“God Save The Queen is a first but it’s not totally out of this world.”
The Queen is due in Hull on November 16 as part of its City of Culture celebrations.