A CONCERNED councillor is appealing for any residents who are being “tortured” by a mysterious humming noise to come forward.

Dan Land, chairman of Tendring Council, has been contacted by several homeowners in Holland-on-Sea and surrounding areas who all claim to be able to hear a persistent low frequency.

Some residents have reportedly had to endure the vibrational noise for the past couple of years and others believe it is getting progressively worse.

The source of the annoying sound is currently unknown, but many have speculated it could be coming from wind turbines, electricity points or telephone lines.

Mr Land, who is also the ward councillor for Thorpe, Beaumont and Great Holland, decided to investigate the situation.

After spending time in some homes in the area, he started to hear the noise himself, but has also not been able to identify the route of the cause.

Having engaged with locals on the issue, councillor Land has found residents who are genuinely suffering as a result of the humming and now wants to help stop it.

“We now have a substantial amount of people in one area who are affected, so I think all facilities and utilities need to be tested," he said.

"But we need other people who are hearing the sound to come forward and let the council know, so we can do something about it.

“I sat in the lounge of some guy and after a while I definitely could hear a low hum.

“In the last few weeks things have exploded a bit and more people have come forward.

“This is actually affecting people’s lives and I have literally sat with people who look like they are being tortured.

“I took an 80-year-old woman to the doctor’s to see if she had a hearing impairment, but she didn’t.

“She physically can’t live there anymore, because it is so bad."

Bob Clarke has lived in Orchard Drive, in Great Holland, since 2002 with his wife Carol.

He started experiencing the baffling sound a couple of years ago and believes it has gradually got worse over time.

He said: “It sounds mechanical or like farm machinery, but it is really difficult to put your finger on what it is.

“At first, we could live with it, but now it has got worse and you can hear it everyday and every night – I am having to wear earplugs to get to sleep.

“Other people must be hearing it as well – it is very, very strange.”