A WOMAN who started a fire in her home has been sent to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.

Kimberley Armstrong set alight some clothing in her kitchen-diner and had to be rescued by firefighters.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Armstrong – who has almost 100 offences on her record, including numerous assaults on police officers – hurled abuse at the emergency services.

Judge Howard Crowson imposed a hospital order so doctors could threat the 50-year-old’s complicated bi-polar condition.

Armstrong admitted a charge of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered at her home on North Ormesby Road, Middlesbrough, on October 22 last year.

A bed was available at Roseberry Park, and she will be transferred to the Middlesbrough hospital from Low Newton Prison in Durham.

Judge Crowson told defence lawyer Nicci Horton: “Being in custody has helped. This period has helped identify her true mental health problems.”

He told Armstrong: “You set fire to some jeans and you caused some smoke damage.

“At the time, you thought you were going to harm yourself, but you could have harmed somebody else if it had got out of hand.

“The doctors tell me that you are not well. They say they can help with that."