A mysterious - and loud - sound has residents in the East End scratching their heads.

No one seems to know what the sound is or where it's coming from.

"The dogs are quite upset," said Town Crier E. Michael Jones.

"It's quite loud."

Mr. Jones said he first heard the loud noise last Wednesday night.

"Last night I heard it again - twice, fairly close to each other.

"I called Harbour Radio but they hadn't had any reports," he said.

His inquiries at the local Police Station also turned up nothing.

Mr. Jones called The Royal Gazette, saying: "In order to track it down you're going to need members of the public - it's very mysterious.

"Nobody seems to know or be bothered by what it is."

He said the sound was "one big bang like somebody setting off dynamite or fireworks.

"Nobody seems to know where this noise is coming from.

"It's mysterious and its affecting the dogs and people as far away as St. David's can hear it."

He stressed : "It's loud - it's not a little puff.

"It's sounds like the big fireworks let off at New Years Eve.

"Or when I fire the cannon off. It's very discomfiting.

He said as far as he knows it's only heard after dark.

"It's certainly seems rather funny it's happening late in the evening - it could be something really innocent."

Harbour Radio confirmed that a sound was heard but could not attribute it to anything.

"It just sounded like a loud pop or a small explosion - it was a distinct noise," said a Harbour Radio spokesman.

The sound was heard twice just before 7 p.m. last Friday and about four times last Wednesday night at around the same time.

"It's just an unusual sound to hear at this time of night," said a mystified Mr. Jones. "It's just so strange."