TWO areas of the North-East are to be included in a project to discover just how noisy some parts of England are.

The Government has ordered tests to be carried out on Teesside and Tyneside to see what noise levels people have to endure.

The areas are among more than 20 around the country that will be examined as part of the Noise Mapping England Project - the first stage of the development of a National Ambient Noise Strategy.

The idea is to identify where people are affected by noise, how many are affected, and what the source of the noise is.

Findings from the mapping project will then be evaluated against economic, social and environmental factors before it is decided what action is needed.

Maps showing, by colour grading, what noise levels residents have to put up with in London have already been published, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will carry out research to produce more

Local Environmental Quality Minister Ben Bradshaw said: ''By creating noise maps we can get a better understanding of the overall situation and target our efforts to tackle unwanted noise where it is really needed. Unwanted noise has probably affected us all at one time or another. It can cause stress and annoyance, interrupt conversation and disturb sleep.

''By creating more of these maps we can help Government, local authorities, planners and the public better understand noise levels and work more efficiently to reduce the number of people who are exposed to high levels of noise.''