A WOMAN today hit back at "neighbours from hell" allegations and vowed to fight eviction in court -- after it emerged that legal problems had scuppered a previous attempt to remove her family from their council home.

Mother-of-four Katherine Green, formerly Hartley, said there had been trouble around her Malvern Avenue house in Hapton because of problems with her and her husband Mick's previous associates.

But she denied she was a nuisance neighbour and said she would be going to Burnley county court today to fight the proposed order for repossession of her home.

Today it was revealed that Burnley council was granted a county court order to repossess the property -- on the basis of non-payment of rent -- on February 15, but two months' later the problem family is still there. The difficulty centres around the fact that the property was not repossessed before March 8 -- the date Burnley and Padiham Community Housing took over all the borough's council estates.

Mrs Green said: "We don't cause trouble. We don't even know the neighbours around here.

She said she had completed the third of a four-year BSc course on applied psychology at the University of Central Manchester and her husband was now in full time employment.

"Do we sound like nuisance neighbours?"

She said her rent problems had occurred because she, as a student, had not qualified for housing benefit and arrears had built up to more than £3,000. "Over £1,000 has now been paid off plus £170 I have found myself. I am going to court and I will offer to pay £240-a-month because we want to stay here. I am hoping that will be acceptable."

"The housing company say they want me out by April 27th, but I will fight it."

Residents have been told the change-over has thrown up legal difficulties for the company in its bid to execute warrants granted to the previous landlord.

Local councillor Granville Lord said: "It is ridiculous that Burnley and Padiham Housing doesn't appear to be able to do anything -- the managers have got themselves big pay rises since transferring to the housing company."

Company director of Housing Paul Buckley was not available for comment, but a letter to one resident states the transfer has proved a complicating factor. "The validity of any warrants of possession granted to the local authority immediately prior to the stock transfer but which we are seeking to execute as BPCH is a complex legal issue.

"The company has been clear in requesting its solicitors to do their utmost to find a legal route which preserves the company's right to implement warrants of possession granted to Burnley Borough Council."