A woman begged a judge not to jail her lover for trying to kill her with a rolling pin.

Ian Ball, 63, admitted attempting to murder Arlene Hornby before trying to kill himself, but she stopped him and on Friday told Judge Stephen Kramer she forgave him.

Ball, of Sandford-on-Thames, was £70,000 in debt and was being evicted from his home when he attacked Ms Hornby in June.

Ms Hornby said Bell was "a wonderful man" and "her dearest friend".

Addressing the judge, she said she did not feel like a victim and the best way to get Mr Ball over the depression that led to him attacking her, was for them to fight it together.

"I regard him as my dearest friend," she said. "I miss him and I do not want to see him locked away and I worry about him. I am not in fear of him, I am not at risk from him.

"I know what he did was wrong and I just want him back in my life so we can start to move forward.

"I understand the Crown's point of view and I understand why people may think the public is at risk but he is a wonderful man and I am very fortunate to have him as my partner.

"I do not feel like the victim, I see it as my job to stand by him," she pledged.

However, Judge Kramer said he had a duty to the public and sentenced Ball to five years.

Addressing Ball he said: "On June 22 of this year, driven by a build-up of despair and hopelessness caused by indebtedness and the final straw of eviction, you hatched a plan to bring things to a conclusion.

"You intended to end the life of your partner Arlene Hornby and then to end your own life."

The court heard he tried to attack her at the Constitution Club in Windsor, Berks. He also tried to stab himself but Miss Hornby stopped him.

Judge Kramer said he took into account what his partner said, but jailed him for five years.