A woman wept as she told a jury how much she loved her sister who is accused of starting a fire which was intended to kill her.

Rachael Bartlett was giving evidence in the trial of her sister Cathy who is accused of starting a fire in a bid to cover up stealing £100,00 from Rachael's company where she worked as a financial controller.

As previously reported the fire at Rachael's mother's home where she was staying, was the second time the 34-year-old had been caught up in a blaze after a fire also broke out at her fathers home in nearby Winsor.

The prosecution say that fire was also started by Bartlett although it does not form part of the charges against her.

The case against her centres around claims that she plundered more than £100,000 of Rachael's company cash which she lavished on friends; buying tickets to football and rugby matches, along with festivals and hotel stays.

Rachael survived the second fire which happened in the early hours of April 7, by climbing out of the attic room window where she was sleeping, and subsequently fell from the roof onto the patio below.

Rachael told Winchester Crown Court that when she woke up in hospital her family had been told by Bartlett that the fire had probably been caused by a cigarette discarded by Rachael after a drinking session the previous evening.

Although they were both arrested initially, it was Bartlett that was subsequently rearrested and charged in connection with the fire.

Rachael said after the fire the relationship with the rest of her family had broken down.

She said she had been asked by their father to take the blame for the fire to save Bartlett being given a lengthy sentence.

Rachael claimed her dad had also set up a phone conversation between his daughters and encouraged her to go and visit Bartlett in prison.

Sobbing throughout, Rachael described how her sister had told her in a phone call that she was she was sorry about the money and that she would "pay it back".

Rachael said:" I told her I didn't care about the money, I care about the fires.

" I told her I loved her because I do.

"She told me she loved me and would never do anything to hurt me."

Speaking of how she felt at that time Rachael said: " I couldn't believe everything I was hearing. I missed her so much, I missed my little sister.

"I couldn't get out of bed for two days, I cried for her."

Bartlett, 30, denies attempted murder, arson with intent to endanger life and ten counts of fraud.

Proceeding