Newcastle-on-Tyne has the country's noisiest rush-hour traffic according to ear experts, with Torquay among the quietest.

Tyne Bridge is the nosiest spot in the country where the rush-hour traffic creates 80.4 decibels, about the same as an alarm clock ringing in the ear.

City bosses in Newcastle have reacted angrily to the report produced by Professor Deepak Prasher, of the Ear Institute, University College London and Widex, a Danish hearing aid manufacturer, although in reality Newcastle only tops other big cities like Birmingham and London by a few points.

At the other end of the scale, and lowest in the league table of 41 towns measured, relatively peaceful Torquay at 60.2 decibels out-performs sister town Paignton by a massive 5.5 decibels – a large amount when you remember decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale. The same scale means the 20 decibel difference between the top and bottom of the table makes Newcastle an enormous 100 times noisier than Torquay.

The report concluded the noise levels revealed were a threat to health and well-being and should be seen as an issue comparable to air pollution.

Prof. Prasher said: "Noise pollution in our towns and cities is a growing problem and can have a serious long-term impact on our health and well-being.”

"Noise not only annoys but also can raise our stress levels and associated hormone levels. It can disturb sleep and increase the risk of heart disease and if the noise is loud enough it can lead to permanent hearing impairment and tinnitus."