A collection of complaining letters written to a local newspaper have been brought together in a new book.

Around 300 letters which have been printed in the now-defunct Tunbridge Wells Advertiser have been published in the book Outraged of Tunbridge Wells: Original Complaints from Middle England.

The book has been written by author and journalist Nigel Cawthorne, who said his favourite letter was one written during the First World War when a “light sleeper” complained about the nuisance of cockerels crowing at dawn.

The letters page of the Advertiser were believed to have been the source the phrase “Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells”, which is used for a person, usually with conservative views, who writes outraged letters to newspapers.

Nigel trawled through old editions of the Advertiser at the national newspaper library to carry out the research for the book and the letters in it date from 1900 to 1954, when the title ceased publication.

Issues complained about in the letters page include telephones, shoddy pavements and the excessive singing of Christmas carols.

Said Nigel: “How does this compare to other books I have written? Well I have knocked out around 150 books so far (just finishing my twelfth for this year as we speak). I have written books that have had me hauled in front of the US Senate and prompted questions in the House of Commons.

“Others have got me on the Joan Rivers Show and the biggest chat show in Brazil. One book I wrote became an issue in the election in Taiwan, I can’t remember why.

“Okay, Outraged of Tunbridge Wells is not quite as exciting as those, but it was a delightful project. It is a great comfort to know that you belong to a nation that is so reassuring small-minded, petty and downright silly.

“Let Johnny Foreigner tackle the great issues of philosophy and religion. I don’t want carol singers making a mess of lawn…”

The book is available from Amazon.