THE “family from hell” accused of terrorising a second Hampshire neighbourhood after courts ordered them out of their last home are now living in Southampton, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Our investigations have discovered that the two adults and eight children were found accommodation within the city by a neighbouring council.

It means Southampton City Council could now be left picking up the bill to rehouse them if they were ever booted out of their current home.

As revealed by the Daily Echo, the family has subjected neighbours to months of abuse and antisocial behaviour since being rehoused on the estate last November.

Incidents reported to police include threats to kill, dumping dog excrement on doorsteps, throwing frozen condoms and food over fences into gardens, and damage to cars and other property.

Neighbours, many of whom have lived in the area for decades, say their lives are being made “hell”, and are desperate for help.

Police yesterday confirmed that they have stepped up patrols on the estate, and are gathering evidence.

It comes just six months after the Hampshire force successfully got the family evicted from their former home in Hedge End, after neighbours there were subjected to misery through similar abuse and disgusting behaviour.

The Daily Echo is gagged from revealing who the family are, or exactly where they live, by a court order protecting their identity.

But we can today report that we believe they were moved to Southampton after turning down the offer of emergency accommodation by Eastleigh Borough Council, which had a legal responsibility to house them because children’s welfare was involved.

It is understood that Hampshire County Council’s children’s services department then stepped in to help find a suitable home.

The privately rented home that was found is in Southampton, out of the area covered by the county council, because the city is a unitary authority.

That means the family are now the responsibility of Southampton social services, and the legal duty of care rests with the City Council, although it is not clear whether other authorities may help if there is a future need to rehouse them again.

It is understood that the council’s antisocial behaviour team has been working with police to deal with complaints about the family.

Southampton’s housing chief, Cllr Peter Baillie, said that the case raised an “interesting question” over who picks up the bill in situations where people have been moved across council boundaries.

He said: “We’re working with housing associations and other authorities so we don’t just throw problem families from one authority to the next.

“It’s very easy to get a problem family and evict them and send them to Hedge End, but that’s not solving the problem, and it’s not helping the people of Hedge End or the family.

“I’m sure Hampshire are doing the same and I’m sure this wouldn’t have happened without us being informed.

“The professionals have decided this is best for the children, and I’m happy to go along with that. But what we need to make sure is local people are protected from nasty antisocial behaviour that they don’t deserve.”

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said: “We do not comment on individual cases and are not a housing authority. However, if we do have to make plans for the welfare of any child we would always do this in partnership with all the professionals that have an interest in the case, including police and neighbouring authorities.”