A WOMAN who told police she had three bombs in her Turlin Moor home has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Rosie Law, also known as Wendy Axford, called 999 and told operators she would blow up her property in Keysworth Road on the afternoon of May 22 last year. Any officers attending would be shot, she said.

The 51-year-old claimed she had left the gas on and would set fire to the loft.

Police dashed to the road, evacuating scores of residents living nearby to a school and cordoning off a stretch of the street for some five hours.

Specialist negotiators were called out to try to deal with Law. Eventually, she allowed police into the property.

She was arrested, but then de-arrested and taken to hospital, from which she was discharged in the early hours of the following day, May 23.

At around 1.45pm that day, neighbours saw smoke pouring from her home. Firefighters broke into the property and found an armchair had been set on fire.

Officers then went into the home and tried to speak to Law. However, she refused to respond and was eventually restrained and taken to hospital for treatment and a mental health assessment.

The assessment raised no concerns and Law was then taken to Bournemouth police station and charged with arson with intent/reckless as to whether life is endangered and sending a false message by public electronic communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety.

Much of the home was damaged by the blaze. Law's cat, which was inside the address when the fire began, was given oxygen and taken to a vet.

Police were forced to close roads once again while the incident was dealt with.

Law was convicted of the offences after a trial and has now been sentenced. A judge said she must be subject to an extended five-year licence period when she is released from prison.

Law has been in prison since she was charged, and has not returned to Keysworth Road.

Detective Constable Steph Ashworth, of Bournemouth CID, said: “Rosie Law’s actions caused considerable disruption and concern to local residents in the Turlin Moor area and placed a great deal of demand on the emergency services.

“We cannot tolerate members of the public being endangered by these kind of reckless actions and will make every effort to ensure those responsible for such offences are brought before the court.”