A SOUTH Harrow couple must cough up £3,000 because their tumble dryer was too noisy in what is thought to be the first case of its kind.

Dereck and Arlene Brown were slapped with the fine after Harrow Council officers found the faulty machine was making their flat Parkfield Road shake when it span.

The appliance was so loud it breached the volume of what is legally considered a nuisance to neighbours.

Councillor Phillip O’Dell, responsible for environment and community safety, said: “Everyone has the right to peace and quiet in their own home and we gave the Browns every opportunity to sort out this problem sensibly.

“It’s sad that we had to resort to court action but the couple left us no alternative as they were making their neighbours’ lives a misery.”

The couple even used the tumble dryer at night disturbing the people in the flat below and Brent Magistrates Court heard from one neighbour who was kept awake by the problem.

They were slapped with the fine at a hearing on Monday having first been handed an abatement notice by the council, which they ignored.