"IT is time we made sure decent, law-abiding people were in charge of their local communities."

These are the words of Tony Blair this week as he vowed to clamp down on the neighbours from hell who make the lives of thousands of people a misery.

But will legislation be introduced to protect those who suffer constant harassment from their neighbours, or are the Prime Minister's words just another attempt to keep on the right side of the British public?

Two people who will be watching with keen interest are Collette Moore and Martin Edwards from Bournemouth. This week they were granted a court injunction against nuisance neighbour David King after a year of intimidation. But they feel badly let down by Bourne-mouth council which failed to take action despite scores of complaints over a 12-month period and a history of problems with Mr King.

"We asked the council for help because we have suffered so much," said Miss Moore, who lives in a first floor flat above Mr King in Hopkins Close, Townsend Estate.

Both flats are rented from Bournemouth council.

"They should have evicted Mr King or moved us to another flat but they did nothing."

Miss Moore told Bournemouth County Court how simple things such as flushing a toilet or moving a chair prompted banging on the ceiling and calls to police to complain about noise.

"He bangs on the ceiling if I put the kettle on - that is how pathetic it is," she told Judge John Beashel. "He complained about loud music and I don't even have a stereo."

Miss Moore, who has a three-year-old daughter, is seven-and-a-half months pregnant and still awaiting a transfer to a more suitable property.

"I just wish the council could move us now before there are any more problems," she said.

The court also heard how previous tenants had had difficulties with Mr King spanning many years.

"We should have been warned before we moved here," said Mr Edwards.

Gary Josey, head of housing landlord services for Bourne-mouth council, said: "Previous policy has meant that we have only been able to move tenants under specific circumstances such as overcrowding, medical grounds and under-occupancy. Recently the policy has changed and it now allows us to move tenants with specific difficult home circumstances.

"This change in policy means that we will be able to offer a solution to this problem in the very near future which will be acceptable to Mr King and Miss Moore."

Noise nuisance accounts for around 600 complaints a year to the council.

First published: October 13