Don't shout it from the rooftops but the Noise Abatement Society is in the centre of Brighton.

From an office in one of the busiest parts of the city, it aims to eliminate excessive and unnecessary noise.

The organisation was formed 42 years ago by John Connell, a lively businessman, who wrote to the Daily Telegraph when it published complaints from readers about noise.

The reaction was amazing.

He received hundreds of letters from all over the country, written by people who complained their lives had been made hell by noise.

Mr Connell was a man of action. When people complained about noisy planes keeping them awake at night, he protested at night himself outside the home of the minister responsible.

He got results. Within a year, the Government introduced a Noise Abatement Act which, with amendments, still exists today.

But the work of the society did not stop there. Really it had only just started.

For the rest of his long life, Mr Connell devoted his unflagging energy to ensuring people got the peace and quiet they deserved. He was so much associated with the society that, when he died in 1998, it went into decline.

But it has now been revived with the help of his daughter, Gloria Elliott, who is a trustee, and his widow, Trude.

It has appointed a dynamic director in Peter Wakeham, who, from his attic headquarters in Grand Parade, has already fired off more than 6,000 letters in four months.

The society has started a new award in memory of Mr Connell, which will go to the council that has done the most to tackle noise problems.

It is also pressing for a national noise strategy for all councils, in partnership with the society, to give greater consistency in tackling noise complaints.

Mr Wakeham said: "We welcome the use of mediation services and feel that all local authorities should use this method of dispute resolution where available.

"We encourage teaching in schools that noise is wasteful and unnecessary. We campaign for all new and existing buildings to be adequately insulated against noise and, where possible, to include a soundproof room.

"We actively encourage research into methods for reducing noise from engines, machinery and appliances."

The society is a charity depending entirely on its membership for support. It has no commercial backing.

Typical of the cases it deals with was one in Western Road, Brighton, where a neighbour complained about loud and persistent amplified music from a guitar.

Mr Wakeham said that, after hearing it could take five days for the council to deal with the problem, the woman went to see the offender herself.

Noise can drive people to distraction.

The society has a medical report which says six murders a year are committed because of excessive noise.

Mr Wakeham said many other people are driven to what he calls "doing a John Prescott" after the Deputy Prime Minister lashed out at a demonstrator during the election campaign.

Noisy neighbours are often the worst problem because, in cities such as Brighton and Hove, people live so close together. Sometimes the offenders are thoughtless and, at other times, deliberately offensive.

A thoughtless neighbour would be one who mowed a lawn at 7.30am rather than 2pm.

An offensive one would play loud music all night.

John Connell said noise was the forgotten pollutant.

Gloria said: "People often don't think it is a problem until it affects them. We can give help and advice and have had a number of success stories. We are always happy to receive good ideas ourselves.

"All sorts of things can cause problems. If my father were alive today, he would be doing something about mobile phones."

The barking of dogs, especially at night, causes thousands of complaints.

So does the noise of planes, whether caused by Concorde when it was flying or a light aircraft circling near an airport.

With many airports ranging from Heathrow to small ones set to expand, this problem can only get worse.

Traffic noise also causes widespread annoyance. Working above Grand Parade, Mr Wakeham hears the problem daily.

So does Mrs Connell, who said: "Noise is a pollutant that affects every human being at some time or other and with advancing technology come new nuisances.

"The battle continues under new and positive command.

"Already Peter, our new director, has shown himself worthy of the mantle of my late husband."

Anyone wishing to get in touch with the society can ring a helpline on 01273 878782 on weekdays between 9am and 5pm.

This service will be extended in the future.