A NUISANCE family who have made their neighbours' lives a misery have finally been evicted from their home.

Council tenant Karen Warwick, 31, was evicted from her home in Stuart Road, Acomb, after a string of complaints from neighbours which date back more than ten years.

Problems caused by Ms Warwick and her family include serious and persistent noise pollution, harassing staff at a local convenience store, threatening neighbours with physical violence and trespassing.

Ms Warwick was given a final warning in March by York County Court, when she was told that further nuisance would see her lose her home.

City of York Council tenancy enforcement manager Neil McFarlane said she was now being evicted after the situation had "deteriorated".

Ms Warwick's problem behaviour did not end with herself or her two children - a boy and a girl.

York Magistrates earlier this year ordered her Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Roly, to remain muzzled when in public after it bit two council officers on separate occasions. The animal also attacked the former Lord Mayor of York, Coun Ann Reid, landing Ms Warwick with a £550 fine in 1996.

Yesterday, council dog handlers, wearing protective arm shields, were on hand to restrain Roly as bailiffs asked Ms Warwick to leave her home, but the animal was eventually removed by a friend, and is believed to have been housed nearby.

Ms Warwick, who told bailiffs she was not aware of yesterday's eviction order having not opened her mail, can now present herself as officially homeless to the council. She is not allowed back on the housing register for two years.

Mr McFarlane said: "It's just sad that it's come to this - that the council has spent so much time trying to resolve this.

"We have a duty as a landlord to protect the interests of our residents in the area, and we take that responsibility very seriously."

Five youths in the area, four of them from council tenant families, have recently been handed acceptable behaviour contracts.

Mr McFarlane warned that breaches of such contracts could eventually lead to similar evictions being carried out.

Sgt Mike Stubbs, of the York Community Policing Team, said police ward managers PC Derek Bone and PC Claire Hudson had worked closely with the council to improve the quality of life for residents in the area.

Updated: 08:26 Friday, July 23, 2004