'It's inescapable' - piercing alarm rings on Cornwall housing estate for four days

• The bleeping sound was described as "inescapable" and "constant"

A piercing alarm on a housing estate in Cornwall was left ringing for several days because no-one knew it could be switched off remotely.

The high-pitched siren at Lamorick Drive, in Bodmin, had been annoying locals since Sunday 25 August, but residents were told it would be several days before anyone could come out to fix it.

The sound was eventually silenced remotely on Thursday 29 August.

Jack Howard, 27, who lives on the housing estate, described the sound as "inescapable" and "constant."

He said the alarm was so disruptive, he was forced to send his five-year-old son, who is disabled, to live elsewhere until it was fixed.

"There is one house between me and the alarm and it's a constant high-pitched ringing noise and everyone on the estate can hear it," he said.

"It's the frequency of it. With your door closed you can still hear it because the frequency is so annoying and, especially at night, when there's no other noise you can't escape from it."

He added: "There are lots more children on the estate including an autistic child who can't leave his bedroom and is refusing to leave which is having an impact.

"The kids love the street and love playing outside but they just can't do it. It's such an annoying noise and we're having to keep them inside during the summer holidays, which isn't great."

The 27-year-old, who has lived on the estate for two-and-a-half years, said he couldn't understand why it would take nearly a week for someone to come out and even have a look at the alarm.

Westward Housing, the housing association which manages the estate, said that it was "really sorry about the frustrating situation".

A spokesperson added: "The sound was piercing on their video and we were able to remotely silence it in the end.

"It was an alarm on the pumping station and there was no risk to sewerage backing up as there are two pumps. TT Pumps are attending today to service and fix it.

"We have learnt that we will be able to silence it onsite, or remotely via the contractor, from now on."