In 1997, Bella Bathurst began to go deaf aged 28.

Within a few months, she had lost half her hearing, and the rest was slipping away.

She wasn't just missing punchlines, she was missing most of the conversation - and all of the jokes. For the next 12 years deafness shaped her life.

Sound draws on this experience, exploring the practical and emotional impact of losing your hearing, and what it teaches you about listening and silence, music and noise.

Bella embarks on a sailing trip with friends. She doesn't want to admit her hearing is getting worse, but out at sea even more sound gets lost.

As the weather worsens and Bella mishears instructions from the captain, has she put the whole boat in danger?

Abridged in five parts by Jo Coombs.

Read by Adjoa Andoh.

Producer: Hannah Marshall

A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in May 2017. Show less