A clanging manhole cover which has been described as sounding like a “volley of rifles” going off when it is driven over, has been tormenting residents.

The drain protector, at the junction of Factory Road and the High Street in Northfleet, is thought to have been loose for around a year but those living nearby say it has become worse recently.

Samantha Stiles, who lives in Factory Road, said: “It has been an issue for several months now. You can hear it throughout the day but at night it is very loud.

“I have such sympathy for those living on the High Street. There is a large amount of constant traffic along there, even late at night and in the early hours, so it is a constant noise.

“When your windows are open it would disturb your sleep.

“My concern is if it becomes damaged and causes an accident. It is a built-up area with a school so could be very dangerous should it break and leave a hole in the road.”

A neighbour - who did not wish to be named - added: “It is like having a volley of rifles going off constantly through the day, and sporadic, but louder at night. We cannot sleep with the windows open.

“It has become intolerable in the last two months, and the sound is exacerbated by the position of the cover.

“The sound travels down Factory Road like the barrel of a canon, reverberating and ricocheting between the houses on this narrow street.

“It is a barrage of obnoxious sound pollution.”

The issue has been reported to Kent County Council (KCC) as the highways authority, however, the manhole cover is understood to be owned by Southern Water.

KCC councillor for Northfleet and Gravesend West, Conrad Broadley (Con), said he has spoken with council officers who informed him they were making the utility firm aware.

He said: “It is owned by Southern Water which needs to do the repair work. Our officers are going to take it up and highlight the anti-social nature of it.

“It is not dangerous, it is just anti-social and nobody would want to live next to it. It would drive you mad.

“I will keep pushing it. Southern Water needs to get its act together.”

Cllr Broadley said KCC did make the firm aware of the issue earlier this year but it seemed work was not carried out.

A spokesperson for Southern Water said: “We are investigating reports of a broken manhole cover in Northfleet, and if it is our asset we will carry out repairs as a matter of urgency.”

The manhole covers have since been replaced.

Earlier this year, people living and working in Lower Stone Street, Maidstone, complained about a loose manhole cover which had been clanging loudly for more than a month.

It was going off every time a vehicle wheel was driven directly over it which was more than 1,000 times an hour.