Barnham's X Factor girl's 'disturbing the neighbours'

Charlotte Howard (16) travels to London next Wednesday for her next audition of The X Factor. She was selected after impressing the judges at the initial trial on Sunday with Christina Aguilera's

I Turn To You.

One more success and she will be facing feared judge Simon Cowell and his fellow panellists as she bids to be selected for the final stages of the ITV talent contest.

But Charlotte's hopes of making a musical career are in the balance following moans from the neighbours of her family home in Garden Crescent.

Charlotte said: "I feel it's stupid how they can complain about my singing when there is so much bad going on around here. It's like taking away my rights by not allowing me to do anything in my house.

"My singing is no different from having a CD on loud except that it has a live voice."

The complaints about Charlotte's daily singing sessions backed by a professional computerised PA system prompted Arun District Council environmental health officers to intervene.

They have sent her family three letters outlining the concerns which have been raised about her rendition of power ballads by the likes of Aguilera and Whitney Houston.

A council spokeswoman said: "We have simply let the family know that complaints have been made by local residents about the level of noise coming from their house. We have no further evidence at this stage that the allegations of unreasonable noise are true."

Westergate Community School pupil Charlotte has been singing since she was six. She has just taken her music GCSE.

She sings at a local church and performed at a community event to raise money for new leisure facilities in Barnham.

She also reached the final 80 contestants on Stars in Their Eyes three years ago and had some success on a recent Britain's Got Talent.

What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.

MAP