A CAMPAIGN to tackle noisy, rude and abusive neighbours in Stockton has been given a boost thanks to a grant from the Home Office.

A total of £19,269 has been earmarked by the Home Office to the Safer Stockton Partnership in a bid to help them tackle the problems caused by nuisance neighbours.

Stockton Borough Council has already employed two anti-social behaviour officers to work continually on protecting residents, and now, thanks to the grant, the partnership is going online in a further bid to protect tenants.

A database is being set up to enable the borough's housing associations, private landlords and the council's housing management company, Tristar Homes, to report any problems.

This will enable the partnership to draw up an accurate picture of the problem, helping them target action where it is most needed.

Alongside the database, hard copies of complaint forms are being drawn up and delivered to doctors' surgeries, dental practices, community centres and churches to ensure as many people as possible are reached.

Marilyn Davies, community safety manager at the partnership, said; "We will make sure these forms go everywhere we can think of so no-one is left to suffer in silence.

"If people are too scared to come forward themselves to report problems, our Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators will be able to act as go-betweens.

"The problems we are talking about here are serious. We are talking about noise, shouting, swearing, threats of violence and dangerous pets.

"These problems can seriously affect people's quality of life, destroying their peace of mind.

"A home should be a haven - everyone deserves peace and quiet in their own home."

At the end of the year, Mrs Davies and her team will analyse the incidents reported alongside the police disorder incidents, enabling them to pin-point hotspot areas which need to be targeted.

Alan Brown, director of the communities group at the Government Office for the North-East said: "These new initiatives should help to make people feel included in their own communities, giving them a voice and helping them to together take action to improve the quality of their lives."