Loch Ness mystery noise 'unsolved'!

RESIDENTS on the shores of Loch Ness are having their sleep disturbed by a mystery humming noise similar to that which sparked a spate of calls to a council in Suffolk.

Mikko Takala, who lives in a cottage overlooking the loch near Drumnadrochit where he runs a webcam site tracking the elusive Loch Ness Monster, has been having sleepless nights for weeks.

His mother, who lives with him, and a near neighbour have also been woken in the wee sma' hours by the same strange humming noise, which one blue blooded Suffolk resident, Lord Philips of Sudbury, said could be mistaken for a spacecraft landing.

Inquiries by Babergh District Council have so far failed to pin down a source of the noise, while Highland Council environmental health staff are about to begin their own inquiries into the lochside disturbance.

"I thought at first the noise could be coming from some old bearings in the Foyers Hydro Station across the loch," said Mikko.

"But when I went out of the house I couldn't hear anything at all."

A Scottish and Southern Energy spokeswoman confirmed they have been having no problems with the machinery at the hydro station and the noise would not be from their plant.

Mikko said he would be contacting other utility companies as a process of elimination to try to get to the bottom of the mystery.

"I have to confess it's bizarre. It get's into your head and is like a buzzing sound, vibrating like an empty football. I think its a resonance frequency. Putting your fingers in ears doesn't help. I've heard it start at 2am and it would carry on until 8am. My mother has heard it too."

Mikko said he had gone outside to listen and focus on where it was coming from but couldn't hear anything.

"It's a complete mystery because you only seem to hear it from indoors and its exactly the same as what is being experienced in Suffolk."

Babergh District Council received 50 complaints from residents and council staff there are still trying to identify the source.

Locals have failed to pin it down and Lord Philips of Sudbury commented: "If someone had said to me a spacecraft had landed on the meadows I would have said, 'well I heard it'."

Other locals in Sudbury have described the noise as a high hum and a high pitched drone.

Highland Council's environmental health staff confirmed they had received a report about the noise and they would be investigating.

"We have had reports of a low humming noise which is loud enough to wake local residents.

"We will investigate this but it will be very much a process of elimination to try and identify a noise source.

"That can involve switching off all power sources to the property to ensure there is not a problem with a motor in the house."

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