Families have complained about noise from a nearby garage which they say is robbing them of sleep.

Neighbours of the Cross Roads Garage, in Banbury Road, Kidlington, claim car alarms constantly go off in the middle of the night, leaving them unable to sleep and tired for the rest of the day.

But the garage owners say the problems have been dealt with.

Residents say the garage is breaching planning rules by allowing staff to work after 6pm, with machinery noise and horns blaring into the evening.

The residents of Wise Avenue have now approached Cherwell District Council's environmental health and planning departments to try to force the garage to allow them some peace and quiet.

Kieran Gogarty, 44, a fencing contractor, who is married and has a teenage daughter, said: "Three times in 14 days we've been woken in the middle of the night by car alarms going off in the car park next to our back garden.

"I don't think it's reasonable. If I phoned and woke the owner up he would be annoyed. No-one can survive on three or four hours' sleep. It makes you very agitated during the day."

Neighbour Barbara Pullin, 68, said: "We overlook them and we don't get any peace all night. "During the day there's a drumming noise which is appalling. It's like living in an industrial estate. You can't sit out in the garden during the summer because of the noise.

"All you get when you complain to them is 'I'm sorry' but they don't do anything about it. It's just unbearable."

Jonathan Cliff, managing director of the garage, said the complaints had been dealt with.

He said: "Any complaints that have made to us by Cherwell District Council have been acted on immediately and I'm not aware of any outstanding issues. Cars have alarms and they can be faulty and go off."

Rob Lowther, a principal environmental health officer at the council, said they were investigating the complaints and hoping to establish a rapid-reaction response to car alarms going off at night.