A NOISE described as sounding "like a gunshot" is keeping residents in retirement housing up all night.
Residents of Lime Tree Court, in Ashtead, have been troubled by the loud sound, made by vehicles driving over a loose manhole cover in the road outside, for months.
The cover is owned by Virgin Media but a number of previous attempts made by the company to fix it have proved unsuccessful within hours of the repair.
Resident Gerda Hedges, 83, said: "It comes right through the windows. It's alarming and of course it's very annoying. It drives you mad and it's all night long."
Fellow resident Edith Gibson added: "It's going all the time. It's stopping me from sleeping.
"You can put your television on really loudly and still hear it."
The loud noise is clearly audible in a number of the residences on the side of the property that faces out onto The Street, and its volume increases with the speed of vehicles driving over it.
Resident 94-year-old John, who asked for his surname not to be used, added: "A lot of us don't know how long we've got left and this is just miserable.
"I have a balcony on that side that I cannot use. As I understand it, it's a cover on an inspection point for Virgin Media cables.
"It's no use whatsoever for local residents or the community, it's purely for them.
"They should be ashamed that an international company of their standing, that spends millions of pounds on their products each year, should have no interest at all in the upset they have caused to elderly people.
"It just goes on every day and every night. Even in this weather we don't want to open windows.
"I defy the directors of Virgin Media to come and see if they can stand it for more than five minutes.
"I have got this lovely balcony and I just can't use it. I was hoping I could spend my last few years in this lovely environment in peace."
Virgin Media spokesman Ashley Scott told the Advertiser on Tuesday: "We have attended the manhole cover today and we're working to fix the loose cover as a matter of priority.
"Due to the busy nature of the road, we're working with the local council to arrange a set of temporary traffic lights to be put in place, helping us to complete the works quickly. We apologise for any inconvenience caused during this time."
