THE OC - BARTON FINDS PRIVATE HOME THANKS TO THE PAPARAZZI

THE OC star MISCHA BARTON found her perfect Los Angeles home with a little help from the paparazzi who stalk her daily.

The actress looked at several homes before picking the right one and said no to all of them - if the snapper pests that follow her everywhere could get too close.

She explains, "I was pretty specific with what I was looking for - it had to be gated and private.

"There were so many cool houses that I saw but, as I was driving to look at them, I noticed photographers were following me all the way to the driveway."

Her ever-present paparazzi 'friends' are also making Barton, 19, hold back from taking her driving test.

She adds, "The last thing I needed to be doing was driving around Hollywood, being chased around by paparazzi."