Hit Eighties pop song Walking On Sunshine has been listed as one of the most annoying tunes played by noisy neighbours late at night.

The track by Katrina and the Waves was among several songs which had enraged residents who complained the music was being played too loud.

Other songs to irritate people included the hit from the Dirty Dancing film soundtrack by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, I've Had The Time Of My Life and Tossing And Turning by the Ivy League.

Brighton and Hove City Council released the list of irritating songs as it announced thousands of pounds worth of stereo equipment and music had been confiscated in a bid to force noisy neighbours to shut up.

Roy Pickard, the council's noise patrol team manager, said: "We have confiscated all sorts of music and now have a massive bag full of CDs. We have hundreds and hundreds in about ten 2ft bags. It's mainly head-banging music but there's a massive variety, anything from Sixties music to trance and hard house music.

"Once someone was playing I've Had the Time of My Life really loudly in the middle of the night so it really could be anything. It's whatever the kids are listening to.

"Our job is not about determining what type of music is offensive, it's about how loud it is and how that affects the neighbours. People could be playing classical music, but if it's too loud then there is a problem. I have heard all sorts of music, it's not just drum and bass that annoys people."

Two recent cases of noisy nuisances resulted in a Brighton mother and her daughter each being fined £2,000 and another woman being fined £1,000. In both cases, music equipment was seized.

Len Batten, the council lawyer who prosecuted on both occasions, said: "In the latter case the noise coming from the flat in question was so loud the siren of a passing police car couldn't be heard."

The equipment seized by council officers and now available for charity includes two Sony speakers, a Pioneer amplifier, a Technics CD player, bags of CDs, a Pioneer cassette player and amplifier, a Sony CD player, a Cyber home DVD player, a Pioneer synthesizer and a Sony PlayStation 2.

The team will donate the confiscated equipment and music to charities.

Mr Pickard said: "We have about eight or nine CD players which we will try and give to charities. Sometimes we get a destruction order from the court to dispose of them but we try and be sustainable by giving them to charitable organisations."

The noise crackdown comes just before Noise Action Week which starts on Monday - a national annual event organised by the National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection.

Council officers can now use the power of fixed penalty notices to tackle night offences.

They investigate each noise complaint, provide advice, collect evidence, monitor noise and where necessary take enforcement action.

The council responds to noise complaints about buskers, raves and parties, car alarms and domestic noise, including barking dogs and DIY works.

Contact the environment health community and pollution teams on 01273 292929. The council also runs a special weekend noise patrol team on 01273 293541. Phone 01273 292229 for an out-of-hours contact.