Health and safety inspectors have told members of a traditional Scottish band to wear ear protectors after discovering their drums and bagpipes made more noise than a jet engine.

The BBC said an audiologist visited the Wick Royal British Legion Scotland Pipe Band and recorded their bagpipes at 108 decibels and snare drums at an ear-splitting 122 decibels, a total of 230 decibels.

At take-off, the engine of a jet aircraft generally reaches about 140 decibels.

Legislation dictates that action needs to be taken if noise levels exceed 90 decibels - equivalent to the sounds in a large factory or a heavy lorry - to prevent individuals suffering lasting hearing damage.

Band secretary John Bogle was quoted as saying the 40 band members from the far north-east Scotland group were concerned and had been told to consider buying ear plugs.

In 2005, an 13-year-old Scottish boy was told by his local council to stop practising the bagpipes because he was breaching noise limits.

A professional piper later donated a set of quieter pipes after an outcry among exponents of the traditional Celtic instrument.

- AFP