A 24-year-old Lowestoft man who started a fire in a bike shed under a block of flats during a row over a woman will be sentenced in January.

Lee Lawrence, of Jacobs Street, was due to have been sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, November 26, but Judge Martyn Levett adjourned the case to allow the probation service to prepare a report on the issue of dangerousness.

Lawrence admitted arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered following a fire in a bike storage area under St Peter’s Court in Chapel Street in August.

Daniel Taylor, prosecuting, said Lawrence had set light to a bike belonging to a man he’d been involved with in an ongoing dispute over a woman.

Seven fire crews extinguished the blaze, which caused £18,000 damage to the ground floor of the building, communal landing area and electrics.

Residents of the flats were forced to leave the building as crews battled the blaze at 9.45pm but were eventually allowed to return to their homes at about 1am.

Judge Levett adjourned the sentencing hearing until January 14 and remanded Lawrence in custody.