A WOMAN who has made her neighbours' lives a misery is set to become the probably the oldest person in the country to be served with an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

And today Marilyn Birchenough, 52, of Partridge Hill Street, Padiham, said the move could be the one thing she needed to keep her out of prison.

Burnley Borough Council, with support from Pennine Police, is preparing to take Mrs Birchenough to court following a string of complaints.

Neighbours said they have been kept awake through the night because of her shouting and swearing outside their homes. Today the Home Office said it was not aware of anyone of her age being given an ASBO since they were introduced in 1999.

Mrs Birchenough admitted she was a nuisance and put her behaviour down to marital problems. She said: "I have been married 35 years and we are with each other seven days a week, 24 hours a day and arguments do happen.

"I do go shouting up and down the street and make noise but my neighbours never say anything to me, they just ring the police. I do it when I've had a drink but it's not just because I'm drunk, I'd do it anyway.

"They mentioned this order to me ages ago and it would stop me from doing these things because I don't want to go to jail at my age.

"But on the other hand if the police intervened with every married couple that argued the prison would be overflowing."

Michael Pizybysz, anti-social behaviour officer for the council, said: "We are hope to start proceedings next week. This woman has been a long-running problem for her neighbours because she has been getting drunk and going outside at all hours shouting and screaming and keeping people up at night.

"The police have tried to resolve it by arresting her but that doesn't seem to be ending the problem.

"She gets bound over to keep the peace but there doesn't seem to be a way in the legal system to take account for the fact that it is going on and on.

"If she breaches the order it is an arrestable offence and she could get a term of imprisonment or a substantial fine."