After breaking up with his girl friend over an argument about buying a caravan together, a Maenporth man was shocked to be woken up in the early hours by her shouting outside the van in which he had been sleeping and then found flames spreading underneath it.

Carl Piper later told the police: “If I had not woken up I would have been worried I would have been burnt. Only her shouting saved my life.”

At Truro Magistrates’ Court Alison May for the CPS said Mr Piper and a neighbour had managed to put out the fire to prevent any damage to his van.

Before the magistrates was Kathryn Stone, 37, of Elizabeth Close, Threemilestone who pleaded guilty to arson.

Ms May said Mr Piper and the defendant’s relationship had broken down a week before the incident, but then they had got back together and discussed buying a caravan together. Then there was a disagreement between them and during the day of the fire Mr Piper had received a number of messages from Stone, until he got tired of her pestering and turned off his phone.

On November 3 he was disturbed in the early hours by her shouting outside his van. He heard a bang and then a whoosh and opening the door was met by two-feet high flames. He told officers he had been frightened his caravan would be lost and other nearby vans on the site would be at risk.

Stone told the police that after their disagreement she had decided to make a statement fire outside his van. She was drunk at the time. In court Stone said she had been very stressed when she set the fire and was sorry. She just wanted to get her life back.

Chairman of the bench, Roger Cargeeg told her: "The actions you took were reckless in the extreme.” Stone was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for two years, with an alcohol treatment requirement, and ordered to pay £345 costs and charges.