A pack of 20 yapping chihuahuas landed their owners with an £800 court bill after their incessant barking tormented a neighbour.

Council officers who investigated complaints found the din from the pack of pocket-sized pets was so loud it was causing a neighbourhood nuisance.

The tiny dogs launched into a chorus of barking every time neighbour Wanda Sztorc opened her doors and windows, a court heard.

Their owners, dog lovers Susan and Derek Jacobs, of Dewe Road, Brighton, were served with a noise abatement notice and were advised to get rid of some of their pets but the yapping continued.

A council officer returned to investigate the complaints at Mrs Sztorc's home and heard the dogs barking whenever the tormented neighbour opened her windows or doors.

Even going into her own garden would set off the noisy nuisances.

Mr and Mrs Jacobs were brought before Brighton magistrates yesterday after Mrs Sztorc again complained of intrusive noise.

Mrs Sztorc contacted Brighton and Hove City Council in July last year to complain about the barking dogs in the Jacobs' small terrace house next door, the court heard.

She complained again after the dogs continued to yap despite the abatement notice being served in September last year.

Council solicitor Len Batten told magistrates: "A male voice was heard shouting shut up or shush.

"The noise of dogs barking and yapping was intrusive and would make it impossible for anyone in the rear ground floor room to concentrate on reading or studying or any quiet peaceful activity."

It appeared attempts had been made to control the dogs by squirting them with water.

Mr Jacobs, 45, and Mrs Jacobs, 42, admitted failing to comply with the noise abatement order but, in their defence, said Mrs Sztorc was carrying on a personal vendetta against them.

Mr Jacobs, who is disabled and receiving incapacity benefit, said: "We've tried twice to go to mediation.

"We've lived at this address and brought our children up here for 20 years and we've never had a complaint from anybody. The other neighbours are all disgusted by this. We feel she has used the council for her own personal reasons."

Mrs Jacobs said the couple had taken steps to try to reduce the level of noise from their home.

She said: "We used to have an open-plan lounge, which made it like a speaker phone, so we put a wall back in.

"We've double-glazed the back door and have rehomed six young male chihuahuas who were causing most of the problem at that time.

"Our whole house is double glazed. Her's is single glazed.

"Our neighbour no longer bangs her windows and doors, which is what would always start the dogs off."

She questioned why no other neighbours had made complaints, nor Mrs Sztorc's two lodgers.

Mrs Jacobs said: "We are seeking legal advice for intrusion of privacy and defamation.

"My neighbour said I had killed my cat and the RSPCA came and saw my cat was alive - I think it's gone a bit beyond a reasonable complaint."

However, magistrates fined the Jacobs £200 each and ordered them to pay the council's prosecution costs of £200 each.