A 'BULLYING' builder who was said to have made his neighbours' lives a misery has lost a battle to clear his name.

Self-employed Graham Pye, 50, of Harlech Drive, Oswaldtwistle, lost an appeal against conviction for harassment, which included the imposition of an anti-social behaviour order.

Pye, who has a back injury that stops him from working, was found guilty by Hyndburn magistrates in March of harassing next door neighbours Craig and Susan Taylor by playing music into the night.

Recorder David Knifton, sitting with two justices at Burnley Crown Court, threw out his appeal and said the ASBO must remain but reduced his two-year community rehabilitation to one year.

And the judge added another £200 to the £600 costs Hyndburn magistrates ordered him to pay.

It was second time Pye had appeared in court in as many days, after going before Hyndburn magistrates on Wednesday to get the community rehab order overturned.

The court was told the defendant now planned to move to the Wirral due to mounting debts and health problems. Pye, it was alleged, earned £4,809 in the last financial year but had total debts of £75,179 and was thinking of bankruptcy.

Burnley Crown Court heard Pye was not happy with the Taylors' camper van parked outside their home as he claimed it blocked his light.

He launched a campaign of repeatedly playing loud music and last summer residents from the street converged on his home to protest.

Tim Storrie, prosecuting, said Mr Storrie was a "domineering bully" and demanded the camper van be removed, as well as issued threats and abuse. He played "intolerably" loud music to annoy and disturb others and was inflexible and ill mannered.

Pye claimed he was the victim of a vendetta by police and neighbours.

The ASBO, made on March 11, will run until 2006. Under the order, Pye is banned from harassing or causing distress to the Taylors and from inciting others to do so. He is also banned from entering the Taylors' home and must not play loud music or television to cause the Taylors distress.