THE elderly father of a woman dubbed “the neighbour from hell” after she terrorised pensioners in her community last night claimed his daughter was the victim of a campaign against her.

Bryan Marsh said daughter Helen was the victim of a “witch hunt” by residents who have helped banish her from a Hampshire estate.

And he says the decision to tear her away from her beloved home has left her “devastated” at a time when she is still trying to cope with the death of her mother.

As reported in the Daily Echo yesterday, Helen was found guilty of terrorising and intimidating residents in her New Milton street and leaving them too afraid to go outside for fear of what she might do next.

Police fought a constant battle to try and get the 44-year-old to leave them alone, seeking restraining orders to protect her victims, while housing bosses struggled to kick her out of the house.

A judge has served her an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) after finding her guilty of breaching the restraining order six times.

The ruling at Southampton Crown Court comes just days after Sovereign Housing Association repossessed her home in Earlswood Park.

The ASBO not only protects her previous neighbours, but anyone who lives near her for the next five years.

Speaking from his home in Lymington, Mr Marsh, 78, said: “The whole thing is very harsh.

“It’s a witch hunt and there are so many people on their side saying things against her.

“It’s totally over the top and she is devastated about it.

“She loved that house and spent a lot of money on it – the garden was beautiful.”

Helen moved into the New Milton home in 2012 and since then was accused of making life hell for elderly neighbours next door whose health has been affected by the stress.

She would stare at them through their kitchen windows, constantly bang on the walls and follow them down the street.

She was also accused of intimidation, and followed another family who had a disabled teenage son.

But Mr Marsh, a retired painter and decorator, claimed it was very out of character for his daughter – who is the third youngest of six siblings.

He said the former Arnewood School and Priestlands School pupil was well behaved as a child despite enduring difficulties after being badly burned by scalding water as a toddler.

The cleaner and former cafe worker had lived happily at her previous address in Pennington for 19 years until eventually moving after intimidation from another neighbour.

But he said the death of her mother Janet in August last year from a heart attack at the age of 70 has deeply affected her.

Long-term boyfriend Keith also died two years ago and another man she was in a relationship with has died since then.

Turning his attention to the accusations of intimidation he said: “I’m not saying that she is an angel but I just can’t see her doing anything like that.

“She is the kind of person that if someone asked her for help and she was down to her last penny she would give it to them. She adores children, she always wanted a child herself.

“She’s had a hard life and they don’t know what she has been through and needs extra help.”