A REDDITCH resident who was described as the 'archetypal neighbour from hell' challenged police officers to seek an antisocial behaviour order, a court heard.

West Mercia Police finally gathered enough evidence to act and Michaela Hilton, 39, was given a three-year antisocial behaviour order by magistrates on Monday.

Hilton was served with the order less than a month after her estranged husband, Matthew Hilton, was also handed a two-year order.

But Michaela Hilton was said by police representative Neil Campbell to be 'marginally worse' than her husband when it came to making life a misery for neighbours in Sandhurst Close, Church Hill.

Hilton, who represented herself in court, accepted her behaviour had been intolerable and apologised.

The couple had moved into the Church Hill house early last year and immediately clashed with neighbours, said Mr Campbell.

The court heard how they held all-night parties which would attract up to 30 youths at a time and spill out onto the street in the early hours.

Michaela Hilton had threatened people with her bull mastiff dog, threatened YMCA staff and led some neighbours to be so fearful they would not leave their houses, said Mr Campbell.

Strangely, she had also used racist language to a white police officer, the court heard.

Hilton, who now lives in Atherstone, Warwickshire, told the court: "I'm sorry it's come to this in the end. I will try to behave."

She added she had a lot of problems in her life but they were 'no excuse' for her behaviour.

The order bans her from entering Church Hill, using threatening or racist language or harassing and intimidating others, either with or without her dog.