It is seen as a genteel sport played by those who enjoy the quiet life. But residents who live near Langley Bowls Club beg to differ after claiming the site is making their lives a misery with constant noise, shouting and swearing.

Now club members have been told they must pipe down and turn off floodlights that shine into neighbours’ windows. Residents living in the surrounding Vicarage Road and Trident Drive have been fighting to hush club members in Crosswells Road for the past three years.

They say they can no longer enjoy the summer months because the raucous cheering has become so offensive.

Years ago Sally Scarlett, aged 63, used to make sandwiches for club players, but she is now at the helm of the campaign to quieten down the club, which backs on to the bottom of the garden at her home in Vicarage Road.

She said: “We have been fighting this for three years now. The club is over 100 years old and for years was for gentlemen only but they changed the rules and all the women and children started coming, that’s when it all changed.

“They now have 180 members and they seem to all be there on a Saturday afternoon, shouting, swearing, all sorts.

“It gets so bad that we can’t go outside. We have to shut ourselves in and close all the windows.”

As well as helping out the club Mrs Scarlett’s husband Arthur used to play for the team. But the couple now refuse to have anything to to with them.

Arthur, aged 67, added: “We have lived here for 25 years and it’s only been in the past three that we’ve been having any trouble. It really gets so bad and I feel like no-one believes us.”

Sandwell Council’s licensing panel yesterday added conditions to the club’s licence which mean they will have to display signs telling club members to be considerate of local residents.

The site’s floodlights will also have to be switched off until a review by environmental services has taken place after complaints they were too bright and shining into residents’ windows.

No-one at the club was available for comment today.

By Lisa Wright