BLARING televisions, problems on the telephone and difficulties answering the doorbell could be a thing of the past for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Help is at hand, with useful gadgets and information available from specialists at Bury Social Services and Fairfield Hospital.

To promote awareness of services, people with hearing loss and professionals working with them got together in January to form the Bury Hearing Steering Group.

The group have just published a leaflet to coincide with Deaf Awareness Week, which runs until tomorrow (Sat Oct 13).

Donald Sutterby has been deaf for the past eight years following a disease of the middle ear, and is a member of the group.

Mr Sutterby, of Eastfields, Radcliffe, said: "It came as a shock to lose my hearing, I could hear a pin drop before." He was seen by audiology specialists at Fairfield Hospital, who equipped him with a hearing aid.

"That alone really improved my quality of life. From being able to hear nothing to hearing something was such an improvement."

But for Mr Sutterby other practical problems persisted, such as using the telephone or watching television.

The Bury Social Services sensory impairment team, based at the Seedfield Centre gave him advice about getting an "induction coil" telephone handset that his hearing aid could tune into. They also supplied him with a similar system for his television set.

Mr Sutterby said: "The problem is that a lot of people aren't aware of the help that they can get, especially older people.

"It's not just about people with hearing problems but people who live with a person that has them. It could be an aunt or mother who has hearing problems and has to have the TV volume turned up to intolerable levels so that they can hear it."

Mr Sutterby added: "There are tools and equipment that can help, but it isn't just about gadgets, it's also about verbal information and help that people can give."

War veteran Mark Niman (82) is also a member of the steering group. He lost his hearing in his twenties due to aircraft noise while serving in the Royal Air Force.

He uses a loop induction device to hear the television through his normal hearing aid, and has flashing light doorbell provided by the Seedfield unit.

Mr Niman, of Montgomery Drive, Unsworth, said: "I've even got something to wake me up in the morning.

"When I take my hearing aid out at night I need something to tell me its time to get up because I wouldn't be able to hear an alarm, so I have a vibrating gadget that goes underneath my pillow."

"The department has helped me a lot, they're very professional and really know what they're doing."

The technical aids are provided on the basis of need.

Rehabilitation officer Debbie Nield said: "We will be promoting awareness of all the services available.

"We hope that as many people as possible can benefit not only from equipment, but from the advice we can offer to help socially, at work and at home with their families."

The steering group have been distributing their leaflet, filled with useful telephone numbers, in the Mill Gate Centre.

The Audiology Department at Fairfield provides a range of services and products, including tinnitus counselling, prescription swim moulds and free NHS hearing aids for all ages.

Battery exchange and repair sessions for NHS hearing aid users are also held Monday to Fridays from 9am to 4pm, with no appointment necessary.