A DROITWICH pensioner who refuses to pay her business rates is to be made bankrupt.

Eighty-two-year-old Nellie Copson has been served with a bankruptcy petition by Wychavon District Council.

Miss Copson refuses to pay the business levy on her disused High Street shop, which she lives above, and owes the authority £1,644 accrued between 1999 and last year.

At a hearing in August, a District Judge told the rates rebel she was too old to go to jail and he urged the district council to take any action necessary to make Ms Copson pay up.

After unsuccessful attempts at mediation - during which she walked out of a meeting set up to discuss the problem - the spinster was warned in October that bankruptcy would be the only option if she did not pay the bill.

A petition was issued at Worcester County Court in December and the Official Receiver is now in charge of Miss Copson's affairs and will discharge the debt to Wychavon.

"It's very sad that this issue couldn't have been resolved a long time ago," said Wychavon district councillor Pam Davey.

"Hopefully, this unpleasant episode will now come to a close."

Miss Copson, who was thrown into jail in January 2000 for a £2,726 debt she had owed since 1995, claimed she should not have to pay because her shop was empty and would not be suitable for retail use.

A planning application to turn the shop into a home was thrown out in September.

"How can the council charge rates on a premises that isn't suitable for letting? It doesn't even have a toilet," she said.

A Wychavon spokeswoman commented: "The council has taken this course of action before, but only in exceptional circumstances such as those presented to the council by Miss Copson."