A woman threatened a police officer, paramedic and firefighter with a knife after calling them to her own home on two separate occasions.

Hope Furnival, 23, of Coley Avenue, Reading, pleaded guilty on three counts of common assault on an emergency worker, as well as a single charge of threatening a person with a bladed article.

Today (May 13), Reading Crown Court heard that the former Legoland employee called the emergency services to her home twice last year - only to subject responders to violent threats.

On October 20, paramedics and fire crews broke through the front door of an address in Windsor where she was living at the time.

The defendant told responders that she was unharmed - only to lash out when she realised the door had been damaged.

She went to her kitchen and wielded a knife towards a paramedic and firefighter.

Barely a month later, on November 14, a police officer responding to one of Furnival's welfare calls was also threatened. In this instance, the defendant again produced a kitchen knife against the officer.

In a statement read in court, the officer said: "It was an extremely frightening experience."

Recorder John Bate-Williams noted that Furnival was an alcoholic, whose mental health and substance abuse issues appeared to have contributed to her offending.

Nevertheless, he emphasised the seriousness of the threats made, telling Furnival: "[If not for] your mental health issues, you would be leaving this court to be serving a prison sentence."

He added: "You must understand that it is completely unacceptable to assault emergency workers, and it is unacceptable in the extreme to threaten them with knives. They were trying to help you."

Furnival was handed a 12-month community order. She must attend 12 mental health treatment sessions, and carry out 20 days of rehabilitation activities.

In addition, she must pay £150 in court costs and a victim surcharge.