ESSEX University’s Students’ Union has been issued with a formal warning letter after noise complaints were investigated by Colchester Council.

A meeting was due to have been held on Wednesday to discuss the din at the university’s summer ball which caused the council to be bombarded with complaints from residents.

Organisers at the Students’ Union had previously agreed after 2am a ‘silent disco’ would take place at the bash on its Wivenhoe campus, meaning revellers would listen to music through headphones.

But residents said thumping bass was heard through until around 4am.

Police officers also had to tell organisers to turn the music down after receiving complaints.

New licence terms will now need to be thrashed out between the students’ union and the council’s environmental team.

A spokesman said Wednesday’s meeting was postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.

He added: “However, we have written to the Student Union and issued a warning which will be held on record.

“We will be meeting with the Students’ Union in the near future, in order to discuss necessary changes to its licence.”

The university apologised after the event and has already said it will make licence changes.

Mum Hollie Soper said she and her partner were kept awake at their Old Heath home - four miles away - by the racket.

Hollie, 26, described it as “ club-sounding bass music” and called police.

She said yesterday: “I am pleased they are doing something about it.

“Unless they keep it under control year after year there is always going to be this issue.

“I don’t disagree with the students having a good time and they work hard for it but it was really the people controlling the situation.”

Mike Lilley, the council’s portfolio holder for safer communities and licensing, added: “On the night I received complaints from Rowhedge because it is just across the river.They have to stick to the times of the conditions.

“Those conditions are there for the protection of residents.”

A spokesman for the university has said it has been working hard to respond to issues raised.