IT'S been Neighbours from Hell week on TV - but it's no laughing matter if you live next door to one. Both BBC 1 and Granada began screening new series about hellish neighbours (the former at 9.30pm and the latter at 8.30pm, both on Mondays.) And the incidents were truly awful.

Who is the hellish neighbour, of course, is often a matter of perspective, as this series ably demonstrates. But the problem is obviously now so widespread and so serious that it merits blanket coverage by both channels.

Even the nation's favourite northern soap Coronation Street has its own terrible neighbours in the shape of Battersby family, which is providing some of the series' most interesting storylines.

In real-life, we're probably all guilty of being noisy, selfish neighbours at some time.

But, of course, some disputes are more serious - and long-lasting - than others.

Fortunately, Bolton has an excellent Neighbour Dispute Service which has a 96 per cent success rate.

The key to mediation, apparently, is to get people over the feeling that neighbours are doing things on purpose.

People are encouraged to come to their own solutions, and the service certainly seems to work. Find out more by ringing the service on 01204-386066.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.