A couple who caused a £22,000 blaze after kicking their way into a flat have been jailed for a total of five-and-a-half years.

Laura Hughes, aged 20, wanted revenge on an ex-boyfriend she accused of attacking her, Worcester Crown Court heard.

After drinking with her new boyfriend, Terence Jones, the pair broke into the man's home in Cedar View, Batchley, Redditch, smashed up belongings and set his bed ablaze.

Two policemen forced their way into the empty flat to search for any occupants, said William Rickarby, prosecuting.

Other flats in the block had to be evacuated. Damage amounting to £19,500 was caused to the targeted flat and a neighbouring property suffered £3,000 damage.

Hughes, of Foxwalks Avenue, Bromsgrove, and 26-year-old Jones, of Montgomery Close, Bromsgrove, admitted arson.

Mr Rickarby said Hughes' relationship with her first boyfriend ended acrimoniously six weeks before the fire.

On Thursday, December 13 last year, the defendants went to the flat at midnight for Hughes to retrieve her possessions. But, after damaging some of them they set alight bedclothes and fled. A neighbour phoned police after hearing banging noises.

Hughes had warned her ex-boyfriend in a phone call: "I told you I would get my revenge." And Jones told him he should be scared of him.

Nicolas Cartwright, for Hughes, said she had reported her ex to police for assault and a warrant was out for his arrest.

Judge Andrew Geddes jailed Hughes for two years and told her provocation was no excuse for a serious crime.

He gave Jones three-and-a-half years, adding: "Your role should have been to restrain Hughes, but instead you encouraged her. Lives were put at risk by this dangerous offence."