A FUNERAL car turned up at a house to pick up the body of a six-year-old child -- who was alive and well.

Mum-of-three Maxine Mitchell said the undertaker arrived late at night after a hoax call.

And she added that the call was the latest incident in a vendetta being waged against her family involving assaults and attempted extortion.

The cruel campaign started in August last year when a 15-year-old neighbour said she had a 'crush' on her husband, Mrs Mitchell claimed. "Then, when her mother found her with love bites she went berserk and it's just got worse and worse," she said, confirming there was no substance in the allegations the mother had made about Mr Mitchell and her daughter.

The police were called in in June when Mrs Mitchell alleged one of her three children, who are aged 12, nine and eight, had been assaulted. On Monday night another assault took place, she said, and four hours later the hearse, from an established Blackburn firm, turned up. The firm confirmed the incident took place.

"The driver said he had come to collect the body of my daughter. It was sick joke. I was horrified," said Mrs Mitchell. "I saw the other family walking past and they were laughing."

The family carrying out the alleged vendetta had even demanded £200 --"or you'll be blown away," said Mrs Mitchell. They had also demanded £50.

Now Mrs Mitchell says she and her family will be moving across town to Whitebirk to escape.

Phil Richards, Chief Executive of Twin Valley Homes, which owns the houses in Feilding Crescent, said: "We have investigated reports of neighbour nuisance involving a number of families there and we have worked with the police on several occasions.

"Unfortunately, neither Twin Valley Homes nor the police have been able to obtain substantiated evidence in order to make further progress.

"Twin Valley Homes will not tolerate anti-social behaviour in any form and will take action against anyone causing distress to neighbours and acting in breach of their tenancy agreement. We would welcome any local support which provides evidence to substantiate reports of anti-social behaviour."

A police spokesperson said: "We are fully aware of what is happening in Fielding Crescent. We are looking into it further through the area beat officer."