OFFICERS at Weaver Vale Housing Trust are making the most of new laws giving them stronger powers to deal with disruptive neighbours.

The social landlord has evicted a number of tenants and has applied for three anti-social behaviour orders since being handed extra powers in June.

One man has also been jailed for failing to comply with his injunction.

Anti-social behaviour officer Juliet Aitken said: "By working with people who've had trouble with nuisance neighbours, we've been very successful in getting rid of the menace.

"Often it is one person who makes the lives of many others extremely trying."

In the most recent incident, the trust was awarded interim injunctions against a couple who lodged with a tenant in St John's Close, Rudheath.

Their arguments resulted in the police being called more than 20 times.

Julie said: "This level of disturbance is unacceptable in any Trust property but in accommodation that is designed to house the elderly and disabled it can be even more frightening.

"With the help of witness statements we were able to get an injunction that prevented them from causing nuisance, alarm and distress and one that specified they were not to use or threaten to use violence to anyone in St John's Close.

"When one of the parties breached the order, he was jailed for contempt of court."

She added: "I have experienced anti-social behaviour myself, so I understand the distress it can cause and I can assure residents the trust will do everything in its power to put an end to the nuisance."