A MOTHER and her family have been evicted from their home after failing to keep up with rent payments.

The front door of the house, in Dover Road, Stockton, was broken down on Friday after a court ordered the Nunn family's eviction.

Pamela Nunn, 47, and her family were given a small amount of time to collect their personal belongings before the property was boarded up.

The order from Teesside magistrates came after Tristar Homes, Stockton Borough Council's housing management company, showed evidence of the arrears, caused by a failure to claim housing benefit.

A spokeswoman for Tristar said: "We have given every opportunity to help Mrs Nunn resolve this problem.

"We have written to her, visited her home and delivered application forms for housing benefit with offers of help to fill them in.

"She has not done so, even though a district judge told her on February 5 that she had to sort out her housing benefit.

"We do - and in Mrs Nunn's case, have done - everything possible to avoid the need for court action.

"Eviction is very much the last resort. In this instance, the judge agreed that it was justified.

"We would urge anyone who finds difficulty in keeping up with their payments to contact us without delay."