A WOMAN who set light to a duvet to wake her sleeping husband has walked free from court.

Alison Page used an electric oven lighter to start the fire in the bedding while her husband of almost 30 years was dozing.

Richard Page was woken by the smoke alarm to see flames between two and three feet coming from the quilt.

His wife walked out of the room saying Oh, that woke you up'.

But despite hearing it wasn't the first time Page, 45, had started a fire in the duvet while her husband slept, a judge decided not to impose a jail term.

Lynne Henderson, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court the incident took place at the family home in Pinehurst on the day before Bonfire Night last year .

The couple had been drinking brandy after dinner when they started to talk about their grown-up children.

"As the hours passed by, the defendant was described as being more and more argumentative," said Miss Henderson.

"They didn't see eye to eye and her husband decided he had had enough and went to bed. He fell asleep and was woken some time later by the sound of the smoke detector.

"He woke and could see the duvet on him was on fire with flames of about two to three feet. He managed to fold the duvet over to extinguish the fire.

"Mr Page describes being very, very angry and followed her downstairs and accepts he lost his temper and attacked his wife. She then called the police."

Miss Henderson added that the victim said he was concerned about his wife's mental health because of past suicide attempts and she had stopped taking prescribed antidepressants.

When police arrived she told them her husband wouldn't listen to her point of view and she had set fire to the bed before.

"She took an electric lighter, one to light a gas stove, to light the duvet. She said she knew he would be cross, though didn't want him to be cross, and was adamant she was not trying to kill him," Miss Henderson said.

Page, of Beech Avenue, admitted a charge of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Peter Coombe, defending, said the offence took place against the background of depression and alcohol had played a part in clouding her judgement.

"Her desire was to frighten her husband, not to harm him," he told the court.

He said she was full of remorse for what she had done, was back on antidepressants and, since the incident, had been living with her sister and seeking help for her problems.

He said that the couple had been married for 28 years and been a couple for more than 30 years.

The Recorder Peter Barrie sentenced her to a two-year community order and ordered that she be placed under supervision for that time.