A PUB was forced to cancel an upcoming event after angry neighbours complained to the council over the "excessive noise" generated by the venue's Jamaica Day celebrations.

Colchester Council confirmed it had received four noise complaints from nearby residents after the event at the Berechurch Arms, Colchester, on Saturday, August 6.

A spokesman said its environmental protection team initially responded to three complaints.

"We informed the pub, and they confirmed the event had been moved inside at 6pm and that they have subsequently cancelled another planned event to avoid further upset," he said.

The event promised entertainment, music and food, from 2pm until 10pm, with Jamaica Independence Day celebrated every August 6 annually.

The pub hosted a steel pan band and a disco.

But Bernard Shore, 79, of the nearby King Harold Road, said the sound of the music was too much for nearby residents.

He said the event disrupted his rest after he returned from a hospital stay following a struggle with Sepsis.

"I'm used to noise as I spent nearly 50 years driving a taxi from Colchester North Station," he said.

"But this started from about 10am and was very loud all day."

Colchester mayor Tim Young was at the event and defended the pub.

He said: "I was there from about 2pm until 4pm and it was lovely, well-attended and everyone was enjoying it.

"It is disappointing to hear there were complaints, it wasn't too loud for me.

"It was full of life, celebration and enjoyment. I don't think there was anything to complain about at all."

Gary Boyle, the pub's owner, said he had done everything he possibly could to comply with the council over the noise.

"We did everything within our powers to firstly turn it down then move it inside," he said.

"We had let everyone know in the area ahead of time, I informed the council ahead of the event.

"We do have a licence to play music outside, but we did what we could to comply. It is disappointing."

Mr Boyle said he had hoped to host more events to celebrate Colchester's diverse community.

A Colchester Council spokesman said: “We received Mr Shore's complaint five days later, on August 11, but unfortunately couldn’t discuss the matter with that person at that time as his telephone number wasn’t working.

"Instead, we wrote to him to advise that we had spoken to the pub and although legal action couldn’t be taken for a one-off event, that he should contact us if he is disturbed again.”