Tenants have overwhelmingly backed proposals to draft in professional snoopers to tell on noisy and abusive neighbours.

Southend Council bosses are using the initiative in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour in some of the town's troublesome roads.

Under the plans Southend Council will pay people to move into an area to witness anti-social or nuisance behaviour by residents which can then be used to evict them.

A problem councillors have faced when tackling such behaviour is that many neighbours are too frightened to inform on their noisy neighbours for fear of reprisals.

Patricia Rogers, 57, of Ruskin Avenue, Southend, said: "This scheme is a good idea and I can see it working.

"I know several people who live next to noisy neighbours and it drives them mad so it is nice to see something is being done about the problem."

John Baker, 60, of Bronte Mews, Southend, said: "I am all for this scheme, people have been able to get away with making too much noise for a long time. I hope it works out."

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Published Friday, March 15, 2002