Residents urged Sir Paul to give peace and quiet a chance

Greenwich Council told the ex-Beatle to turn down the volume at his European tour rehearsal after locals complained.

Eric Pemperton, 67, first blamed the noise on a neighbour's stereo, before realising it came from the Millennium Dome across the river from his home.

"I don't care who it is," he said. "I thought it was quite unacceptable and even my cat was disturbed."

"It is bad enough that he arrives every morning in a noisy helicopter," he added.

East London residents said the noise from the Dome rehearsals was travelling across to their homes in the Isle of Dogs, on the other side of the Thames.

So what? He doesn't pay my rates Eric Pemperton, on hearing Paul McCartney was behind the din

But the legendary musician has now agreed to keep the noise down to 92 decibels after health officers paid a visit.

Sir Paul is reported to have paid �250,000 to rent the venue for three weeks as a practice space.

Dome drone

Mr Pemperton said he had to phone environmental health officers when closing his windows and front door failed to block out the din.

"It took me a while to realise the bass was coming from the Dome on the other side of the river. When I realised I called the council.

"They told me: 'It's Paul McCartney'. I said 'So what? He doesn't pay my rates, and if it was me that was doing this I would have been prosecuted'.

A spokesman for Sir Paul said on Thursday: "We love animals and so we're sorry about Mr Pemberton's cat.