A SUICIDAL mother who put others' lives at risk when she tried to end her own has walked free from court.

Fiona Colyer, 33, twice severed gas pipes and caused two separate fires at her home in a bid to kill herself, earlier this year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how emergency crews were forced to put their own lives at risk in a bid to save hers.

The court heard how Colyer would hide from the emergency services after calling them, and was once found behind her fridge.

Defence barrister Eric Elliott told the court how unhappy features of Colyer's childhood and teenage years had led her into alcohol abuse.

He said: "These were genuine attempts at suicide, not just a case of trying to attract attention to herself."

Judge Tony Briggs sentenced Colyer to a three-year community rehabilitation order, after considering pre-sentence and psychiatric reports.

He said: "I am prepared to accept you are under no illusion about the seriousness of the offences you committed.

"They were varied and carried with them extreme risk of death and distress to others.

"I am prepared to take a chance with you. It is a significant chance and the last you are going to get.

"Throw this chance away and you are likely to get locked up for a very long time."

Colyer, of The Crescent, Bridge Hill, Consett, County Durham, admitted two charges of damaging property being reckless to life endangered, and two of arson being reckless to life endangered.

She had been in custody since the offences in May.