After 25 years of ringing, the town crier deafened by his own bell
At his peak, town crier Keith Jackman used to reach noise levels of 118 decibels - similar to Concorde taking off.
So it comes as little surprise that 25 years of ringing a bell and shouting have taken their toll and the 86-year-old great-grandfather has lost the hearing in both his ears.
'Twenty five years of ringing the bell in my right hand has had an effect on my hearing,' he said. 'I guess it's an occupational hazard'.
Bell in hand but with heavy-duty ear protection, town crier Keith Jackman sets about his task. The former engineer believes ringing the bell for 25 years made him deaf
'The local council tested me once on a noiseometre and it registered 118 decibels. Concorde taking off is only a bit louder than that.'
Although he retired from the job in Christchurch, Dorset, three years ago, he was brought back when his successor died.
Mr Jackman said his hearing started to deteriorate in his right ear about ten years ago because he rang the bell in his right hand.
'It was very gradual so at first I didn't notice anything different but then I started to struggle to pick up people's words and the television always sounded muffled'.
'My left ear was okay but in the last couple of years that began to deteriorate as well. Now I can't hear hardly anything at all.'
But having had two hearing aids fitted, the retired engineer has promised to be back on the streets.
'I can hear okay now,' he added. 'I didn't realise what I was missing out on, like the sound of birdsong.'
And Keith is so pleased with the hearing aids he took to the streets of Christchurch at the weekend to urge people to get their hearing tested.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1077321/Town-crier-booming-25-years-bell-ringing-deaf.html#ixzz0sM9delyl
13-10-2008 om 00:00
geschreven door Guy 
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