A single mother today pleaded for help in caring for her troubled child who almost burned her family out of their home.

Desperate Suzanne Butters fears the ten-year-old will accidentally kill herself, her sisters and her mother following a string of incidents at the Bradford home.

Natalie Butters, who has learning difficulties and behavioural problems, inadvertently sparked a blaze after locking her mother and four sisters in the property at Chippendale Rise.

Suzanne is desperate to obtain respite care for Natalie but Bradford Social Services have been unable to find anywhere "appropriate" to her needs.

A meeting with one carer ended when she decided Natalie was just too much of a handful to care for.

Suzanne, 34, said she began asking for respite care from 1994 - although she has not had any formal meetings with Social Services, she has had a number of meetings with social workers.

In the most recent incident, Suzanne said Natalie had sneaked downstairs before 6am and, while the family slept, put a pan of oil on the cooker to make chips. After making something else to eat, Natalie went back to bed, leaving the chip pan.

"It is typical of the sort of thing she does - she just doesn't understand the implications of her actions," said Mrs Butters.

"Later on, my 14-year-old daughter Charlene was later woken up by Bethany, the three-year-old she shares a room with.

"Bethany was coughing and saying 'I can't breathe' and Charlene immediately saw the room was thick with smoke."

Charlene ran down to her mother's room who immediately rounded up the other children Bethany, Natalie, Gemma, 13, and Chelsea, seven.

The whole family were taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary and treated for the effects of smoke inhalation. The kitchen was badly damaged.

Suzanne said the blaze was the last in a long line of incidents involving Natalie, who attends Bradford's Netherlands Avenue Special School. These include.

Sneaking out of the house and wandering miles away from home around 70 times. The police have been called in to help search on numerous occasions.

Getting onto a bus and going into Bradford city centre alone.

Causing two smaller fires through cooking at home.

Jumping into the back of a delivery van, only to be discovered by the driver at his next stop.

Locking herself in a neighbour's car before letting off the hand-brake.

Social Services said respite care was available from various foster placements and that, if more specialist care was needed, there were three residential homes. Mike Stow, assistant director of Social Services, said: "We are working closely with the family and every effort is being made to find appropriate respite care to meet Natalie's needs."

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