Church's Rock and Roll services 'louder then a nightclub'*

By David Sapsted
Last Updated: 1:36am BST 20/04/2007

UK - A pastor whose raucous rock and roll gospel services were so noisy
that neighbours claimed it was like living next door to a rock concert
hall or nightclub was ordered to "turn the volume down" by a court
yesterday.

Pastor Francis Yeboah, who started the Rock and Roll oriented Written
Word Outreach Church in Hove 14 years ago, was taken to court by council
officials for breaching a noise abatement notice served last year.

Neighbours complained that the extremely  loud singing, preaching and
musical rock and roll accompaniment - including the pastor's
enthusiastic rock drum solos - were making their lives a misery.Belinda
Maloney, who lives near the church, said: "It's like having several rock
bands at the bottom of your garden."

Jim Whitelegg, senior environmental health officer for Brighton and Hove
council, said that sound measurements taken during the church's band
practice reached as high as 96.2 decibels - "the sort of level you would
expect at a rock concert or in a nightclub or loud bar".

Mr Yeboah was found guilty by magistrates and fined £400, ordered to pay
£800 costs and was warned that his rock and roll  musical equipment
could be seized if the noise continued.