A MAN given a two-year anti-social behaviour order after being found guilty of harassing neighbours is to quit East Lancashire.

Self-employed builder Graham Pye, 50, of Harlech Drive, Oswaldtwistle, plans to go and live with relatives in the Wirral as debt problems mount and he struggles to overcome a back injury which has prevented him from working.

His solicitor, Graham Parkinson, told Hyndburn Magistrates of Pye's intentions as he sought to get another part of his punishment for harassing neighbours overturned.

In March, Pye was found guilty by magistrates of harassing his neighbours Sean and Susan Taylor by playing music late into the night.

He would also turn his television set up loud. Both actions were apparently in response to his disliking of a camper van the Taylors had bought recently, the court in March was told.

When the Taylors approached him, he often became abusive and aggressive to the point where they would not go into their back garden for fear of being spotted by him.

Matters came to a head last summer when residents from the street gathered outside to get him to turn the music down.

Several of those neighbours stood up in court to testify against Pye in March.

At yesterday's hearing, Mr Parkinson told the bench that Pye's bad back had made it impossible for him to get on with his community rehabilitation order because he had to spend a lot of time lying down. He said that in the last financial year, Pye had earned £4,809 and had total debts of £75,179, and that his client was now considering bankruptcy.

In those circumstances, swapping the order for a fine would not do any good, and Mr Parkinson requested a conditional discharge instead, alongside the ASBO.

Mr Parkinson said: "Since the order was put in place, there have been no complaints about by client from his neighbours.

"He is intending to leave the area and live with relatives in Wirral where he can be looked after and hopefully avoid surgery."

Magistrates adjourned the hearing for a fortnight after hearing that an appeal against the conviction was due to begin at Burnley Crown Court today