A MAN who set his ex-partner's house on fire, has won a cut in his jail sentence.

Simon Birtwistle, aged 46, of no fixed abode, poured five litres of petrol through the letter box of the house in King Street, Bradshaw, he had previously shared with the woman.

He was jailed for five years at Bolton Crown Court in February, after pleading guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

But London's Criminal Appeal Court yesterday concluded this was "manifestly excessive" - and cut his term to four years.

Mr Justice Gage, sitting with Lord Justice Hooper and Judge Richard Brown, particularly noted his guilty plea and remorse.

But he also said the fact Birtwistle was in a disturbed state at the time of lighting the fire was an explanation, but no real excuse.

Days before the offence, his relationship with the woman had come to an end. "In the following days, there were unpleasant consequences for both parties," the judge said.

On the night of the fire, the woman went out with a friend at about 7.30pm and at 9pm a loud bang was heard and flames seen coming from her house. The woman lost personal possessions worth £10,000 in the fire and the cost of the damage to the house was between £10,000 and £12,000.

When arrested, Birtwistle admitted starting the fire, saying he saw the kitchen light was not on and thought his ex-partner was not home. He had not thought about the danger to others.

A pre-sentence report indicated he regretted his actions and assessed him as posing a high risk of harm to others when under personal stress, but not under normal circumstances.