STANLEY fans have been ordered to stop playing their famous drum at home matches after residents claimed it left them with a banging headache.

The decision to silence the drum was made after the first residents' liaison meeting, when people living around the Interlink Express Stadium met club bosses, council officials and police.

More than 60 people from the area around the Livingstone Road ground raised concerns about noise, litter, parking and plans for the club's development as Stanley prepare for their return to the Football League after a 44-year absence.

The club's chief executive Rob Heys answered questions from the residents and gave them an assurance that no more funfairs would be held at the club, following an incident in February when a fairground set up at the site despite protests from people living nearby.

Police are to investigate the parking situation during the summer and another meeting will be held between residents and the club before the start of next season.

The drum has already been banned on matchdays in a bid to address noise concerns.

The club's official website states: "While we appreciate that many of our supporters are in favour of the drum to build up the atmosphere at games, we have also had a good number of fans who have expressed the view that they would prefer it not to be used. This, combined with the feelings of local residents, led the club to make the decision.

"The residents did, however, accept that there will be crowd noise at football matches and they made it very clear that they had no problems with this."

Mr Heys said: "We are very happy with the way the meeting went. A lot of valid points were made in a structured environment.

"One of the concerns was the banging of a drum on matchdays which we have agreed to stop because it's important that we have good relations with the people that live around us.

"Also, residents might well come up with ideas we haven't thought of and we want to hear them."

Milnshaw ward councillor Malcolm Pritchard said: "Residents were concerned about certain things, like the fair, but were given reassurances that they won't happen again.

"Now people have got things off their chests I think the liaison forum will be very productive.

"The residents and Stanley are willing to work together as a team."

The residents' liaison forum will meet again on 5 July at 7pm at the club.