Kite enthusiasts clashed with those upset by their noise at a public meeting last night.

About two dozen people attended the meeting at Francis Patton School, along with representatives from the Bermuda Police Service and the Department of Public Prosecutions.

Gary Moreno, police spokesman, said the goal of the public meeting was to find a happy balance.

While all those who spoke said they appreciated Bermuda’s kite-flying tradition, attendees were divided on the issue of the noise they produced.

Several kite flyers said that making the most possible noise was a part of the hobby and that flyers had moved beyond traditional paper hummers.

However, they said they did not support flying kites after dark or near schools when classes are in.

One said: “We love what we do and we are kite enthusiasts. We also serve our community; we hold workshops and we try to keep the tradition of kite flying in Bermuda.”

Others said the noise from kites had hindered their quality of life.

JP Martens, general manager of Grotto Bay Beach Resort, played a recording of loud kite noise recorded on a recent weekend at the resort.

He added: “That goes on for hours in a row.

“I think that kite flying is great, it’s the noise that’s the problem.”

Cindy Clarke, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, said there is a law that specifically prohibits nuisance kites with a maximum fine of $2,880, or a period of imprisonment.

She added: “It’s not one that is often enforced, but it’s there.”

Ms Clarke said there were also laws that cover the broader issue of loud noises, but she was not sure if kites were loud enough to be applicable.