A WOMAN who made neighbours' lives hell by playing loud music day and night has been fined £700.

Ellen Morris, of Duckworth Street, Barrowford was found guilty at Reedley Magistrates' Court of 23 separate offences of playing loud music.

She was fined £25 for each offence and ordered to pay £125 costs to Pendle Council, Today, Pendle Council warned neighbours from hell that playing loud music, having the TV on too loud, barking dogs or constant DIY noise could result in a fine of up to £5,000.

Pendle Council's executive member for the environment Coun John David said: "This is a real success on the part of the Neighbourhood Regulation Team.

"Although the maximum fine for noise nuisance is £5,000, prior to this case the average fine was just £150.

"This latest fine shows that the court is now taking this type of offence seriously.

"£700 is a hefty fine and should serve as a warning to other people who don't consider their neighbours' right to a reasonably quiet existence. Persistent noise nuisance is anti-social behaviour and will be treated as such in Pendle."

Noisy neighbours can be served with noise abatement notices and if they don't stop, they can face court proceedings.

Pauline Foley, Public Health Manager, said: "The team deals with over 500 complaints of noise nuisance a year, many of which are resolved amicably.

"As a last resort however, the Council has powers to serve Noise Abatement Notices on noisy neighbours to stop their anti social behaviour.

"If they don't comply with the terms of the Notices, they can end up in court."

For more information or help with a noise nuisance problem, call 01282 661199 or email environmental.neighbourhoods@pendle.gov.uk