Terrified tenants told today how a neighbour carried out a spate of arson attacks at a block of Bradford flats to try to massacre them.

In just one week paranoid schizophrenic Leanne Marshall started five fires in flat doorways while people slept at Thorold House, Fairhaven Green, Thorpe Edge.

Marshall, 38, was yesterday locked up indefinitely under the Mental Health Act by a judge at Bradford Crown Court.

The court was told Marshall, who had no previous convictions and lived on the sixth floor of the block, was arrested after fire crews and police were called out to deal with two blazes on January 15.

When her flat was searched they found two four-litre paraffin containers in her kitchen.

Prosecutor Gerald Hendron said officers also found rolls of parafin-soaked newspapers, matches and latex gloves.

“A spray paint aerosol was recovered which had a piece of paper wrapped round it which had the words ‘you’re gonna be slaughtered, massacred’ crossed out and the word ‘freak’ written,” said Mr Hendron.

“A calendar was seized which had written in the box for January 14 ‘Start the Massa’.”

Sentencing Marshall, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC was told that she had been assessed as fit to plead to the five charges of arson with intent to endanger life.

She admitted all five offences, but the court heard that she had been suffering from a very serious mental illness.

“The reality is that in January 2008 as a direct consequence, very sadly, of the very serious mental illness from which she was then, and is now, suffering she made serious, determined and sophisticated attempts to burn down and destroy the occupants of her neighbouring flats,” said the judge.

“The fires, including the use of accelerants, were set by Miss Marshall at the doors which were the only entrance and exits to the flats in question.

“There was an actual risk, as evidenced by the fire officers and residents statements, of death or at the very least very serious physical or psychological injury.”

Eight months after her flat, also on the sixth floor, was twice targeted by Marshall, disabled Annette Andrew said she can still hardly bare to look out of her window across to the door where her attacker once lived.

“I still have nightmares. I know she’s not there anymore but sometimes I think she is. It has done my head in, she wrecked my life.

“I’d tried to be friends with her before all this happened, she’s even been in my flat.

“I took pity on her when she was ill, she blamed it on paint fumes in her flat but I could tell there was something not right about her, she just had this odd look.

“Some days she’d speak to me, other’s she wouldn’t but everyone has off days like that and I thought that was just how she was.

“She was a bit of a loner, I never saw her with anyone and no-one ever went to her flat.

“I took her a Christmas card just before the attacks started and knocked on her door, but she didn’t answer, I could see her hiding – now I know why she wouldn’t have let me in. She had a lot to hide.”

Miss Andre, who is now taking tablets for depression, said the first attack when rags were pushed through her letterbox caused choking smoke but the second one sent terrifying flames shooting into her hallway.

“My nephew was staying with me and was shouting 'Auntie Annette, Auntie Annette – fire!'. I’d been sleeping, if he hadn’t had been there I would have died.”

Carol Lee, 65, was Marshall’s first victim: “It was only the next morning when we found a paper stuck through the letterbox.

“It had an elastic band wrapped round it. The brushes on the inside of the box had put the fire out as it came through but out on the door mat there were matches everywhere. We knew whoever had done it was deadly serious.”

Mrs Lee, who cleans the flats' communal areas, went to view security cameras monitored at nearby York House on the estate and spotted Marshall heading to her front door wearing a hooded brown coat, carrying a big shopping bag.

“She’d been there for three or four minutes but it was obvious what she’d been doing. I took the tapes to the police. I just couldn’t believe it was her, she was a quiet woman but was friendly enough – that’s what makes it so scary that she could be so nice to your face but be planning to wipe us all out.”

Judge Durham Hall ordered that Marshall should be detained under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act and he confirmed that a bed was available for her at the Newton Lodge medium secure unit.

He read various psychiatric reports on Marshall which concluded that she almost certainly suffered from paranoid schizophrenia with extreme and persistent symptoms.

“The symptoms include audio and visual hallucinations, commands and persecutory beliefs,” noted Judge Durham Hall.

“The doctors in no uncertain terms agree there is a significant and long term risk to the general public.

“Miss Marshall you are very dangerous to yourself and others at the moment.”

Judge Durham Hall said the order would be without limit of time adding: ‘’That in my judgement is adequate in the circumstances to protect society, both you and the public, and to affect your recovery.’’