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Photo: Shirlaine Forrest
Music fans have been told to wear ear plugs at gigs after a survey found that nine out of ten young people have already experienced hearing damage.
The Charity RNID say that if people want to continue enjoying music they should think seriously about protecting their ears.
In order to overcome the belief that ear plugs aren’t appealing, the charity has launched a competition for students to design trendy alternatives.
As an incentive to enter, the students with the best designs will have the opportunity to win work placements with leading design companies.
Concerns have been raised that gig venues and bars are playing music over 85 decibels - the limit where it’s believed prolonged exposure will lead to long term damage.
Buzzing in the ears and a slight ringing noise are understood to be the early symptoms of hearing damage.
"They will go away after a little while, but if you keep exposing yourself to loud music repeatedly you will cause damage to your hearing over time,” explained Donna Tipping, a spokeswoman for the RNID.
