A Bradford night worker has been given ear-plugs by health chiefs after complaining she could not sleep because of noise from hospital building work.

Susan Holdsworth whose house backs onto Lynfield Mount Hospital, Bradford, said sometimes she has to get by on just a couple of hours sleep a day.

After she started complaining months ago, she was sent a letter from hospital bosses saying they would try to eliminate the use of heavy plant machinery before midday.

But Ms Holdsworth, 34, of Bootham Park, Daisy Hill, who works in a bakery from 6pm to 6am said sometimes she is still woken as early as 8.30am- just an hour and a half after she gets to bed.

She told the Telegraph & Argus: "I was that mad the other morning that I shouted out the bedroom window to the builders to turn it off.

"They just laughed - they thought it was funny.

"It's been really horrendous. I've been going off my head."

She said lack of sleep is making her angry, tearful and short-tempered with her family and colleagues.

Lynfield Mount Hospital is run by Bradford Community Health Trust which provides mental health, community and learning disability services.

The building work is for a new ward and to upgrade an existing ward.

Andrew Morris, the trust's maintenance manager, said: "We have taken this matter very seriously and have taken quite a number of steps with the contractor concerned.

"We've selected the quietest earth-moving plant we can think of to minimise any noise that's generated."

Mr Morris said the contractors have been asked to only use one machine at a time and not until after midday whenever possible. He said they were prepared to notify Ms Holdsworth about when mornings would be noisy.

He added that the contractors should soon be moving away from the vicinity of Ms Holdsworth's property which should help matters and that the project was due to be completed just before Christmas.

He said checks had been carried out which showed noise levels at the site were well within those laid down in the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

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