A BLACKPOOL family-of-four have been evicted from their council house after a five-year catalogue of "atrocious" anti-social behaviour.

The family - three children and their mother - were forced to leave their house on Loftus Avenue, Blackpool, last week after the council joined forces with local police to secure the eviction through the county court.

It follows dozens breaches of tenancy and incidences of anti-social behaviour including a failure to pay rent for almost five years, an assault on a fellow council tenant, criminal damage to other council-owned property and failure to keep their property and gardens clean and tidy.

In February 2001 the council were granted possession of the property but suspended the eviction order on the condition that the rent arrears were cleared.

The tenant was taken back to court and given chances to pay on three further occasions between 2001 and 2003 - but the rent remained in arrears.

The council were finally given outright possession of the property after providing evidence of the tenant's anti-social behaviour during a two-day hearing at Blackpool County Court in May 2005.

Council Portfolio Holder for Housing, Cllr Sue Wright said, "Cases like this illustrate the fact that Blackpool Council is determined to take action against anti-social behaviour.

"Together with community policing the council aims to reduce this behaviour using a variety of methods before it reaches the stage where eviction is necessary.

"This was an extreme case of anti-social behaviour and eviction was only used as the very last resort.

"For any type of action we need evidence so council tenants who suffer from anti-social behaviour should contact their local housing office for advice."

Council workers are now working to repair damage to the house before re-letting it to another tenant.

The family have now been moved on from temporary accommodation and will now have to make their own housing arrangements.