by Rosslyn Brennan

MUSIC is said to have charms to soothe the savage breast, but one man was so outraged when tunes disturbed his treatment that he stormed out of physiotherapy sessions at York District Hospital.

Raymond Barry, 68, from Stamford Bridge, said his repeated requests to stop playing music in a physiotherapy gym have been ignored.

After more than 12 months of treatment at the hospital he stormed out of a session and says he will not return unless the situation improves - even saying he will go private instead. He has written a letter of complaint to the hospital and to Pipedown, a national organisation that campaigns for the banning of piped music in public places.

But a York Health Trust spokeswoman said other users in the gymnasium enjoyed the music as it relaxed and motivated them while exercising. Despite that, she said the music had always been turned off when Mr Barry requested it.

Mr Barry, who injured both legs in a car accident in September 1999 and now walks with the aid of sticks, described the constant music in the gym as a "horrible distraction".

The spokeswoman said: "We have now put up notices in the physiotherapy department requesting that patients ask if they want the music turned off in the gym."

Updated: 11:19 Friday, May 24, 2002