A British couple whose sex sessions were so noisy that neighbours could not sleep have heard in court how their marathon romps sounded like someone being murdered.

Steve and Caroline Cartwright's "howling" lovemaking sounded "unnatural", "hysterical" and "like they are both in considerable pain", Newcastle Crown Court in north-east England heard.

A 10-minute recording of their sex sessions was played out before a judge and two magistrates in the court, who also heard how he tried covering her face with a pillow to muffle the orgasmic screams.

Neighbours at their home in Washington, south of Newcastle, complained about the noise, as did a woman who walked past the house taking her child to school, and the local postman.

The couple were banned from "shouting, screaming or vocalisation at such a level as to be a statutory nuisance", but Ms Cartwright, 48, is appealing against her conviction for breaching a noise abatement notice.

Ms Cartwright said she was unable to stop the din.

"I tried to control it. I even tried to use a pillow (over my face) to try and lessen the noise," she said.

"I have tried to minimise the situation by having sex in the morning, not at night, so the noise was not waking anybody."