A BURNING carpet could have endangered the lives of people sleeping in a block of flats in Bewdley Road, Kidderminster, magistrates have heard.

An alarm was set off by a smoke detector at 2am, said prosecutor Clare Lineham. The top floor was filled with smoke and a burned-out box of matches was found.

Teresa Simpson, 33, of Edinburgh Close, Kidderminster, admitted causing damage by fire. She also admitted damaging a window at Kidderminster Hospital by banging on it from outside, claiming she was protesting about her treatment by the health service.

Simpson admitted being drunk and disorderly at the hospital, stealing bottles of spirits and lager from two stores and failing to answer bail.

She had been in custody for almost three months, her solicitor, Ruth Edwards, told the court. She had been examined by a psychiatrist and had benefited from treatment she received in prison.

Simpson was sentenced to five months imprisonment, which meant her immediate release. She was conditionally discharged for six months and the court remitted £500 in outstanding fines for earlier offences.