LOUD snoring can be more than a bore for sufferers and their partners.

Research has indicated that it can also lead to serious health problems and even road accidents.

As more snorers than ever seek help, hospital clinics in Bishop Auckland and Darlington are coming up with new ways of enabling sufferers and their bedfellows to get a good night's sleep.

One particular condition, called apnoea, is caused by constriction of the airways and results in interrupted breathing during the sleep cycle.

Sufferers snore loudly as the struggle for breath and keep waking up, making them feel tired and often causing them to fall asleep during the day.

Up to ten new patients a week are attending the clinics for diagnosis and treatment using equipment bought with a £15,000 donation from hospital fundraisers.

The Friends of Darlington Memorial and Bishop Auckland General Hospitals have bought a monitor which snorers can strap on and wear at home overnight.

It checks oxygen levels, chest movements, air flow and heart rate to determine whether they are suffering from sleep apnoea.

Those who have the condition can use ventilation equipment, also funded by the friends of the hospitals, which helps to keep their airways open.

Consultant physician Dr Emrys Evans said yesterday that research in the US had revealed that 24 per cent of apnoea sufferers fell asleep while driving at least once a week.

He said: "People with it are often overweight and can have other serious medical problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems.

"By diagnosing and treating more people, we can not only improve the quality of their lives and that of their partners, but also help reduce the risk of accidents.