A CLUB boss claims his number's up after a council clampdown on noise pollution left bingo players unable to hear winning lines.

Regulars at St Wilfred's Catholic Club, Longridge, are outraged after Ribble Valley Council ordered them to install a new sound system which cuts out when things get too noisy.

After complaints from neighbours, the club was ordered to install a system that monitors noise from the DJ booth and cuts out at anything over 90 decibels -- slightly less than a pneumatic drill being used five metres away.

But club bosses were left red-faced when the regular Sunday and Tuesday night bingo sessions were halted when the sound system cut off.

Club treasurer Dave Forest claimed Ribble Valley Council, which served the club with a noise abatement notice last Wednesday, had set the noise system too low.

He said: "It's embarrassing to have a bingo caller cut off in the middle of a game. Where else have you ever heard of that? The regulars weren't happy at all. We also have a regular live Country and Western night and that's probably going to be cancelled.

"The council set the cut-off system when no-one was in the room so there was no background noise. We only use the stereo when the place is pretty full, so it should have been set when there were people there."

The club spent thousands of pounds installing a new DJ system in August and agreed to let the council, which had issued the club with several warnings about noise, set the cut-off level.

The St Wilfred's Terrace venue was given a noise abatement order following complaints about noise levels of live music, which hadn't been incorporated in the new sound system.

After receiving the notice the club had to cancel a charity event, which included live music, but now plan to spend £20,000 installing a new soundproof roof.

Coun James Rogerson, said: "If this machine cuts out when they're playing bingo, then I can hardly see the point in having a club. This seems to me like a sledgehammer to crack a nut. "

Coun Robert Thompson, chairman of the council's community committee, said: "The notice was served following monitoring in early October which confirmed the existence of an ongoing noise nuisance.

"Officers will continue to work with, and offer assistance to the club, to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion."