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Since The Herald reported on rising claims of Plymothians hearing a 'mystery hum', the paper has been inundated with calls, letters and emails from people who thought they were alone in their hum troubles.

From farm machinery to power works to submarines, Plymouth residents are struggling to cope with 'the hum' - whatever it may be - and want to source its origins.

Reports claim that around 2 per cent of the UK's population can hear the hum, which supposedly sounds like a low throbbing drone, and can only ever be heard indoors. Mr Baul, 72, and his wife, 56, who live in Milehouse, can hear the mysterious humming noise day and night and it is affecting their relationship.

"We're arguing about the noise," said Mr Baul. "At first my wife couldn't hear it, but now she can; I just want to know where it's coming from."

The pair have been living in their block of flats for nine years, but have only been able to hear the noise for two years.

"It's getting worse," explained Mr Baul. "I think it might be something to do with the dockyard, as I've ruled out the electricity pylon and the central heating."

Janet Watters, 61, and her husband Tony, 62, who live near the old airport runway, said they started hearing the hum when the airport closed.

"Initially it was almost unbearable," said Mr Watters. "Every night for weeks we suffered with almost no sleep.

"The hum seemed almost electrical in nature and seemed to reverberate around the walls in the house. It was so bad we called the Council's Environmental Protection Department who arrived with a meter, but concluded they could not detect anything.

"However, the noise did not abate and we contacted the council again, who seemed to take us more seriously as we had pin-pointed a particular business on an industrial estate that had moved their cooling towers to an area near the front of their building, approximately 400 metres away, on the other side on the airport runway.

"The building actually seems totally inadequate to contain the amount of noise created within."

The pair still haven't sourced the hum's location, and have considered a number of things, but maintain that the noise they're hearing is from a particular source.

"It is not tinnitus, nor any other ridiculous theory," said Mr Watters. "We are in our senior years and would feel very sad about having to leave our family home, but have seriously considered a move in order to get some peace."

Another local, Sarah Blain, 46, who lives in Plympton, said: "It started about five or six weeks ago, and it began as a sort of howling noise - like a generator.

"My doctor has referred me for a hearing test, but I don't think there's anything wrong with my ears. A lady who lives half a mile down the road can hear it too. I think it might have something to do with the power station."