ENVIRONMENTAL health officers are writing to Tesco after residents in Worcester were subjected to 24-hour noise during refurbishment works.

Building and renovation work continued throughout the night at the superstore in Warndon Villages, and residents said their complaints seemed to be ignored by the company’s customer service department.

Worcester City Council’s environmental health department confirmed it had received several complaints and would be writing to the supermarket giant about the problem.

Martin Gillies, environmental health manager, said two complaints about “intolerable” noise levels had been made during the week of the works. A further two had been made during the previous weeks.

“We will probably be writing to Tesco about their attitude to local residents,” he said.

Mr Gillies said his officers had the power to impose restrictions of future work if they anticipated a similar problem.

The store, in Mill Wood Drive, closed for one week on Sunday, October 5, for a refit. At 3.30am the next morning a huge crane was delivered and work started on the car park and store.

A resident of Hock Coppice who gave her name only as Jacqueline said the noise was intolderable She said: “They continued with pneumatic drills and diggers every single night apart from one night when they waited until 5.30am.

“I was sick and tired with the amount of noise. I do not think anybody should have to be treated like this.”

Tesco’s corporate affairs manager Felix Gummer said they were forced to work all night.

He said: “Shutting the store is something we do not do lightly. People depend on us and we have to get the work done.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”