A team set up to tackle nightmare neighbours in Brighton has investigated 263 cases of anti-social behaviour since its launch 18 months ago.

The workload is so great, housing associations with properties in East Brighton,have clubbed together to pay for a full-time officer.

The community safety team was created for East Brighton under the Government's New Deal for Communities scheme, which was launched to regenerate deprived areas.

Their agenda is to stamp out anti-social behaviour and help reduce crime.

Last week, when New Deal was relaunched under its new name East Brighton For You (EB4U), new statistics found one in 12 people in the area admitted to "always or often feeling unsafe" in their own homes.

One in four said they sometimes felt unsafe.

The team has been determined to crack down on a small minority who are responsible for vandalism, threatening behaviour, abuse and harassment.

John Mitchell, of the community safety team, said: "Victims in the community need a break. Residents are pleased to see us take tough action against behaviour which destroys the community."

The strategy is being enforced thanks to two legal tools which extend councils' powers.

Possession orders, allowing nuisance neighbours to be booted out of their homes, and anti-social behaviour orders, which can be issued by magistrates and are backed with the threat of jail.

When the team hears of a nuisance neighbour they open a file.

If the complaints continue, the first action is to issue an acceptable behaviour contract.

This first step has been successful in nipping trouble in the bud. So far, 27 people have signed.

If that fails, the next move is the magistrates court, where offenders are issued with an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO).

The first ASBO was issued in Brighton and Hove Magistrates Court in November.

The second was issued last week.

Robert Johnson, 17, of Ringmer Close, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, found himself before magistrates on Tuesday.

He was given a nine-point rulebook. If he breaks any of the rules in the next two years he could face up to five years in prison.

In the past 12 months, 34 other people have been warned they could face the same treatment. Three youths are already in the firing line. Families can also be threatened with eviction from their council homes.

Mr Mitchell said this was proving to be powerful and effective, particularly when people realised they would not be rehoused by the council because they would have made themselves "intentionally" homeless.

He said: "We have to use the tools of anti-social behaviour orders and the possession orders in parallel. We have held back the full possession action in most cases.

"People do understand the implications of what eviction means. It's tangible to them. They face the prospect of losing their homes."

The approach was used on Johnson and his family. The day after his appearance before magistrates, his home was placed under a suspended possession order at Brighton County Court.

This means if there are any reports of problems the whole family will be evicted and not rehomed.

Despite their powers the team leaders are keen to resolve the problems rather than evict families.

The team will offer support from youth crime and employment experts to help resolve problems.

In the past year, the team has issued 63 warnings to tenants about their behaviour; 24 notices of possession have been issued against people's homes, with 17 applications reaching court.

And the team means action. Seven tenants have been evicted since February, mainly for criminal behaviour and drug-related incidents.

Mr Mitchell said: "Where we have suspended possession orders to give people an opportunity to improve their behaviour, we have not had to return to court for further action."