A mother and son have been fined £1,000 for playing songs from the Eighties film Dirty Dancing so loud it made their neighbours' walls vibrate.

Lewis Smith, 18, and mother Lynda Evans, 42, of Sanyhils Avenue, Patcham, were also ordered to pay £1,146 court costs.

The teenager will pay his first £100 installment just two days before Christmas.

The family was taken to court by Brighton and Hove City Council for breaching a noise abatement notice.

But Lewis today accused the council of overreacting after the family was fined at Brighton Magistrates Court.

The car salesman, whose favourite track is Hungry Eyes by Eric Carmen, said he liked to play Dirty Dancing before going out for the night. He said: "You have a bath and get your best clothes on and you want a bit of music playing.

"We've both got respectable jobs but we've been treated like scumbags having to sit in court.

"When I found out how much the fine was I was blown away, it's just incredible. I think it's out of order."

Lynda, who also has a 15-year-old son Dean and a daughter Stacy, 21, said the family shared the same tastes in music.

The veterinary nurse admitted it was often difficult keeping her teenage children under control as she worked nights. She said: "This was not that awful drum and bass - that's horrendous. Our sort of music is really quite tame and people often say 'we liked that bit of music you were playing last night.'

"We've lived here 18 years and we have never had any problems with anyone before. This is a semi-detached house and you expect a bit of give and take in this neighbourhood."

The single mum did not realise the seriousness of the noise abatement notice and was stunned by such a large fine. She said: "We felt like criminals in court. It was like we had committed murder."

The council brought the case after complaints from neighbours.

Gaynor Farnfield, who lives in the semi-detached house immed-iately next door, said she wanted to put the whole thing behind her.

She said: "This has just been an awful situation. We want things to quieten down and to get back to being neighbourly but it's not been like that. We raised a complaint and the council decided it was a statutory nuisance."

Lewis and Lynda pleaded guilty to breaching the noise abatement notice at the court on November 25.

The council said they had ignored advice given by council officers to reduce noise levels.

Environment councillor Gill Mitchell said: "Excessive noise can cause misery to residents. Taking action on noise nuisance is part of the council's work to tackle anti-social behaviour."

Environmental health officer Alan Keeling said the case served as a warning to other families who play loud music. He said: "I hope the size of the fine will demonstrate to people if they fail to co-operate with council officers they will be dealt with harshly by the courts."

The family have promised to keep their music down but vowed never to speak to their immediate neighbours again.