High MP3 noise levels causes concern

College students are damaging their hearing by listening to music too loud, with some turning their MP3 players up to nightclub volume levels.

Crawley Borough Council’s Environmental Health Officers tested 85 teens’

headphones at Central Sussex College on Thursday (April 29) and explained the long-term damage that can be done if they are too loud.

Of the 85 tested, only a quarter were listening to music at a safe level.

Out of the others 20 were listening to levels that could cause hearing damage if listened to for more than an hour every day.

More worryingly 29 students, close to a third of those tested, were listening to music at more than 100 decibels, with three exceeding 115 decibels – louder than most night clubs – which is very likely to result in hearing damage by their early 20s.

Several students were already experiencing the first signs of hearing damage, including slight deafness and ringing in their ears (known as tinnitus).

Brian Cox, Senior Environmental Health Officer at Crawley Borough Council,

said: “To demonstrate noise-induced hearing loss, students were played examples of music and conversations that had been acoustically adjusted to represent how a person suffering from noise induced hearing damage would hear them.

“This helped many of the students to actually experience how their future world may sound and the numerous problems this could create in their life.

“Using the measuring equipment the officers helped the students find a level on their music players which was safer and unlikely to cause them hearing damage.”

Other advice given included changing headphones to those that fit tightly into the ear which exclude external noise, like traffic. This reduces the need to increase the volume to block out such noise.

MP3 owners can take three simple steps to protect their hearing:

1. Avoid volume levels that completely block out other background noise 2. Take regular breaks from using your headphones 3. Use the ‘smart volume’ feature if you have one.

The event was part of Noise Action Week and followed last year’s volumes testing in County Mall.

For more information on Noise Action Week and MP3 players log on to www.noiseactionweek.org.uk

Crawley vamps it up

Crawley will be holding two ‘fang-tastic’ events in the coming weeks to celebrate vampire-themed books and films.

On Saturday May 15 at 7pm, ‘The Fang Club’, a free event for 11 to 16 years olds, will be held at Crawley Library. It’s in celebration of the popular ‘Twilight’ books and films and supernatural series such as ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and ‘House of Night’.

People who attend can take part in vampire makeovers, badge-making, creative writing and be in with a chance to win a life-sized figure of Twilight favourite Edward Cullen, played by actor Robert Pattinson.

Although the event is free, places still need to be booked in advance at the Library. Call 01293 651751.

Best-selling author of the ‘Morganville Vampires’ series Rachel Caine will be at The Hawth Theatre, Hawth Avenue, Crawley, on Friday June 4 at 2pm.

The event, organised by The Hawth, Crawley Library and Waterstones, County Mall, is for all ages and fans of the books about a girl whose hometown is overrun by vampires.

Rachel will read an extract from the eighth and latest book in the series ‘Kiss of Death’, followed by a question and answer session.

Tickets are £3 and are available from the The Hawth Box Office on 01293 553636, Crawley Library and Waterstones.

Brad Watson OBE, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member responsible for Libraries, said: “These events have been organised in response to rising interest and demand in vampire themed books at the Library, particularly from young people.

“Local teenagers have been involved in planning and running both events, which I’m sure everyone will find great fun and very interesting.”

For more information on West Sussex Library events, visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/libraries

Poll seeks young people’s views on community safety

YOUNG people aged 11-24 in West Sussex are being urged to take part in an online survey about community safety.

The survey is designed to support the West Sussex Drug and Alcohol Action Team’s (DAAT) work with young people.

It is being held in partnership with West Sussex County Council Community Safety Unit, the County Council Fire and Rescue Service and Sussex Police.

Tom Van De Wee, DAAT Project Manager, said: “We want as many young people as possible from throughout the county to take part in the survey so the data will be fully representative. We want to hear their personal experiences relating to community safety.”

Young people taking part will have the opportunity to win a number of prizes, including an iPod.

The link to the new survey, which will run until July 9, is: www.westsussex.gov.uk/community-safety-survey

Pat Arculus, County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, said: “Community safety is a priority issue in West Sussex and it is important we are aware of what people are thinking in our communities.

“This survey helps give young people a voice and a opportunity to share their community safety experiences.”