Scrap metal dealers who shattered neighbours' peace will have to pay more than £164,000.

Easco (Wheelers) based at Oliver's Wharf, Brightlingsea, repeatedly worked outside its allowed hours, sometimes loading ships through the night.

Colchester magistrates yesterday heard the company's actions had affected residents' quality of life.

Anne-Lise McDonald, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, said people had been woken up by the sound of crashing metal in the early hours.

She explained the company had a history of complaints about dust and noise problems.

Easco, which exports scrap metal to be used in furnaces, admitted six breaches of its operating licence between January and March.

It is allowed to work between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday, and between 7am and 1pm on Saturdays.

But Miss McDonald said members of the public complained about noise around 3am on occasions.

Harbour officials also heard ships being loaded with metal at night and captured evidence on CCTV.

She added Easco "deliberately, repeatedly and blatantly" broke the law to save up to £2,000 a day in demoorage fees.

Andrew Bryce, mitigating, said the company took scrap metal from around East Anglia, including council-run tips, and shipped it abroad.

He said Brightlingsea was a tidal port and manoeuvring vessels there was tight.

Ships had been loaded outside of hours to catch high tides and avoid lengthy delays.

He said Easco had since been taken over by a new parent company, Sita, which would make sure the licence was not broken again.

Easco was ordered to pay a total of £164,757.

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