A retired couple living near Exmouth Community College were outraged on Remembrance Sunday as outside contractors continued to operate noisy machinery during the two-minute silence.

David and Margaret Swinscoe, from Grange Avenue, were trying to remember fallen family members when they were disrupted by the noise of tractors and lifting gear being operated on the college site.

“We’re absolutely disgusted with any noise coming from the works, let alone too much noise,” said David Swinscoe.

“What a shocking example to set for the next generation of pupils at the college.”

Margaret even resorted to shouting down to the work men but was unable to get a response.

David said: “Margaret shouted down to the work men. I’m not sure if they heard her but they certainly didn’t stop.”

The couple, in their 70s, were unable to attend the war memorial service on Sunday as Margaret had a bout of emphysema.

She said: “My sister passed away recently and I was in London dealing with her affairs and I must have picked up a bug there.”

Margaret’s father fought in World War One and felt she couldn’t properly remember him.

She said: “I thought it was so disgusting; everyone knows it was the 100th anniversary and we couldn’t even hear the service on our television.”

This is the not the first time the Swinscoes have complained about the noise of the work being done, having made their objections clear to councillors from Exmouth Town Council.

“We objected to the floodlights being built outside our home but we’re not against sport,” said Margaret.

“I have heard local sports clubs have been invited to use the facility when it’s finished and the thought of that concerns us.”

The work is part of £75,000 project to make the facilities at the college suitable for rugby and American football.

At the time of going to press, the college was unavailable to make a comment.