Aircraft noise over the borough has apparently increased as a result of a trial scheme to cut noise for people living nearer to Heathrow.

Neighbours have noticed more noise over Wallington and Beddington in the early hours of the morning after the airport introduced a scheme which reroutes planes on a rolling weekly basis to give people in the areas close to runways some respite from noise.

Airport representatives say the trial scheme, launched at the start of November, has not increased the volume of air traffic over the area and there has always been 'stacking' - where planes queue before landing - in the region's airspace but neighbours may have noticed changes to the directions and timings.

Susan Lewis of Milton Road in Wallington said: "Just what is going on? I was woken at 6am one Sunday morning in November by a succession of low flying jets and since that time aircraft noise has been a constant irritant.

"On some parts of the day there are flights passing overhead every couple of minutes. I sympathise with those who live close to Heathrow and have always had to put up with this but it is new for Sutton."

The trial aims to give people in the areas with most air traffic respite by directing overnight planes around certain blocks of air space on the approach to the airport on a weekly alternating basis. It means in alternate weeks planes between 11.30pm and 6am will have to take different routes toward Heathrow and some of those routes come over Sutton.

Heathrow's plane tracker shows the scheme has caused increases in air traffic over Sutton on some days but decreases on others. Five planes flew over Sutton between 5am and 5.30am on Tuesday, December 11, compared to none during the same period the previous week. Two planes flew over Sutton between 5am and 5.30am on Sunday, November 3 - the last Sunday before the trial - compared to one plane during the same period on both the following Sundays.

A spokesman for Heathrow said: "The actual number of flights coming in has not changed but the way they come in may vary and that may be why some residents have noticed a change."

The trial runs until April 5. To make a complaint got to www.heathrowairport.com/noise.