An arsonist who breached a suspended jail term by drink-driving has avoided being sent to prison.

Fire-starting Karen Storey, 41, ignited bedding at her parents' Carlisle home in June last year.

Having earlier penned a suicide note, she then fled the property and left her father desperately tackling ceiling-high flames with water.

In September, Storey was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court after she admitted a charge of arson. She was given a two-year jail sentence, which was suspended for 12 months, along with other requirements.

But on February 13 Storey breached that order by crashing a car while over the drink-drive limit.

As a result, she was brought back to the crown court and appeared in front of Recorder Michael Duck QC yesterday.(fri)

Prosecutor Beccy McGregor said police were called to a collision between Heads Nook and Corby Hill. An officer saw Storey close to the crash scene.

"Clearly she had been involved in the incident. She was seen to be soaking wet, covered in mud and had blood in her hair," said Ms McGregor.

Storey failed a breath test and, more than three hours after the crash, was almost twice the legal limit.

In an interview she claimed she lost control of the vehicle when braking harshly after seeing a pheasant.

Keith Thomas, defending, said Storey had referred herself to alcohol recovery service Unity in a bid to address problems in her life.

After hearing mitigation and considering background information, Recorder Duck opted to let the original suspended prison term continue.

For the drink-drive offence, Storey, of Heads Nook, was fined £300 and banned from driving for 42 months.

The judge told her: "It is only a matter of good fortune that nobody else was involved and nobody else was subject to very serious injury."