WINCHESTER peacemakers are offering mediation to soothe relations between neighbours.

The city's Neighbourhood Mediation Service is helping to settle disputes that can erupt over issues such as noise pollution, boundaries, nuisance and intimidation.

Neighbour disputes can wreck lives and even - in very extreme cases - end in murder.

The service is working on a pilot project with the city council focusing on Stanmore and early reports are encouraging.

Although formed in 2000 it was only last year that the service received enough funding and had sufficeint volunteers trained to take on an active caseload. A full public launch will take place next year when six trainee mediators have been fully trained to join the nine existing volunteers.

Case co-ordinator Darrell Baverstock said that about 11 cases had been taken up so far, with more expected this year.

She said it was too early to say how many disputes had been sorted. "We have successfully resolved a few but some are not mediable because the parties are not able to sit and talk."

Mrs Baverstock said: "We are proud of the new service and the way it is progressing. We are making a real difference. It allows people to express themselves in a safe environment where a third party allows a structured conversation to take place.

"We focus on the future and do not dwell on the past. We are impartial - we don't take sides.

"Sometimes we are dealing with raw emotions that can be inflammable. But parties tend to behave more with a third party involved," she said.

Service treasurer Mike Coen, also a mediator, said £30,000 was needed to launch a full public service with a full-time co-ordinator.

He hopes public authorities would look at it as money well spent because mediation can prevent disputes becoming more serious, time-consuming, and costly to all public agencies such as the police and city council.

At the service's annual meeting, Janet Pryor, chairman and one of the driving forces, stood down after four years. She was replaced by former city councillor Ann Craig.

A city council spokesman said the Stanmore pilot project was being evaluated with a view to rolling it out across the city. For it to operate, at least one party must be a council tenant. Another pilot scheme could be launched across the district to focus on planning issues and be open to all residents.