HORNS fixed to South West Trains’ new engines are making life a misery for people living near the railway line at Frimley Green.

They are so loud that residents are almost forced to put their fingers in their ears each time a train passes by at Frimley Hatches on the Guildford to Ascot line.

Richard Everingham, an engineer who lives a few hundred yards from the “whistle board” at Sayers Close, said: “The two tone horn is much louder than those on the old ‘slam door’ trains. It’s an unbelievable noise which goes right through the house, and we suffer it up to 10 times an hour.”

He added: “Anyone living nearer than we do must be almost blown out of their home by the noise.”

Mr Everingham isn’t alone in complaining to South West Trains which introduced the 155 new trains, at a cost of £1-billion, in the Spring. Demands for the horns to be made quieter have been made by scores of people throughout the company’s region.

Their grievance has been backed by the Rail Safety Standards Board which concluded that the horns – fitted for safety reasons - are louder than necessary.

SWT spokeswoman Kathryn Rawe said moves are underway to reduce the noise of the horns from 14 decibels to eight decibels. She hoped the company would receive clearance for the work to start early in the new year, and be completed by the summer.

“We apologise to everyone affected by the horns,” said Kathryn: “Unfortunately they have upset people living near the ‘whistle boards’.”