Even when he was a boy,Mick's two
brothers would often leave their bedroom in disgust and go to
sleep downstairs rather than put up with his ear-shattering din. When Shirley Warren climbs into bed with her partner Mick Madden,she doesn't give him a goodnight kiss and cuddle...the smell of garlic is too strong!
In an attempt to stop his snoring,Mick shoves a clove of garlic up each nostril.
He claims it's the ultimate cure - and Shirley,40,says "I'd rather put up with the garlic pong than loud snoring!"
Since she moved in with him 12 years ago,the long-suffering graphic designer has had to put up with the ear-shattering noise,which measures 75 decibels.
Even when he was a boy,Mick's two
brothers would often leave their bedroom in disgust and go to
sleep downstairs rather than put up with his ear-shattering din.
At a party once,Mick fell asleep and woke to find he was being carried outside by disgruntled party-goers disturbed by his snore.
So impressive is the noise that the 44-year-old has even started a profitable sideline,testing the room sound-proofing systems for hotels.He has been hired by firms across the country and even in Holland.
He gets work by sending out a tape of his thunderous roar,described as sounding worse than a "pig being strangled".
But poor Shirley has no sound-proofing in their bed,so in a bid to give her a good night's sleep,Mick has dedicated himself to the task of curing his snoring.
"I've got used to the lack of sleep.I'm one of those people who can't get back to sleep once they are awake" explains Shirley.
"But when he gets a really bad bout of snoring,things in the house start rattling.This garlic-up-the-nose cure is a real Godsend."
The garlic is the latest in a string of pills,potions and gadgets which have been put through their paces by Mick.
Early on he tried the popular golf ball sown on to the back of a T shirt,but he just found it incredibly painful!
Clips on the nose which flare his nostrils merely made him look like a boxer with a broken nose.
Then someone recommended herbal tea,but that was no use,and someone else suggested herbal baths.
Other weird and wonderful devices have included a clamp which fixes on the teeth and pulls the jaw out slightly.Mick said it gave him a "clicky jaw".
But all these gadgets cost money,and
every time one didn't work,that cash had been wasted.
Even surgery was out of the question because of the cost.
Then one day Mick came home in a really excited state.He had read about a new remedy while flicking through a book of old wives' tales and ancient cures.
When he told Shirley he planned to tape garlic under his nose,she couldn't believe it.
That night,Mick insisted on giving it a go.With the garlic carefully placed beneath his hooter,he looked ridiculous,and the smell wafted across the bed.
Shirley wrinkled her nose,but thought anything was worth a try.
Next morning,she woke feeling refreshed.She'd slept through the night.The garlic had worked!
Since then,Shirley has had to put up with refinements to the technique.
Mick has tried peeling the cloves,and cutting them in half,but has finally discovered maximum success by shoving an un-peeled clove up each nostril.
However Shirley admits it's "a bit of a passion killer".
She chuckled "Goodnight kisses take place before we get into bed!"
Mick says "I was totally gobsmacked when it worked.I'd recommend it to anyone - it costs next to nothing,and you soon get used to everything smelling like garlic."