A PLUME of smoke hung over a Southampton block of flats after a troubled resident torched her council home.

Trina Winsor had to be coaxed down by police as she stood on her balcony, twisting a knife backwards and forwards in her hand.

The block, in Redbridge Hill, was evacuated as firefighters battled the flames.

The middle-of-the-night drama happened last August when a worried neighbour spotted the 44-year-old on the balcony looking confused as smoke rose to 50ft into the air and flames took hold in her home.

Prosecutor Edward Phillips told the city crown court how fire crews from nearby Redbridge station raced to the scene after being called by the neighbour and had to force their way into her flat.

Police had to plead for Winsor to leave because of the danger and she was eventually coaxed to climb over the balcony edge to safety.

Mr Phillips said Winsor had set fire to curtains and the flames had spread to two adjacent sofas in the living room. Windows shattered because of the heat and the hall outside her flat was smoke-logged.

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Trina Winsor

When questioned by police, Winsor confirmed she had used a lighter to start the fire and admitted she had been taking amphetamine and speed.

Asked why she had started the blaze, she replied: “It was something that went into my head. I was hoping to burn my flat down but nobody else’s. I was fed up with everyone.”

Winsor, of Redbridge Hill, admitted arson when reckless as to whether the life of others might be endangered.

In mitigation, Richard Griffiths, told the court how Winsor was found with visible marks to a wrist that had been inflicted with a knife.

He said she had endured a difficult life but had two shining influences.

One was her relationship with her father and the second was a job in Romsey.

In March she lost the former and in June she lost the second. Then she began using amphetamine, the court heard.

“There were difficulties,” he said. “It is often said that a person has to hit rock bottom before things get better. Hopefully she is at rock bottom.”

Judge Peter Ralls QC, who read probation and psychiatric reports, jailed her for 30 months.

“This was potentially dangerous to other occupiers as well as yourself,” he said passing sentence.

“You have a troubled background but you don’t suffer from a treatable mental illness. You are genuinely remorseful and I hope you can get some help to ensure this sort of thing doesn’t happen again in the future.”

The court heard Winsor had eight previous conviction for 15 offences but her last court appearance had been in 2006.