A woman who was seen toting a gun in public told police she was using it to teach her dog about rabbiting.

Police were called to Jayne Evans' home in Torquay when a neighbour complained she had threatened him during a dispute over noise and then pointed the air rifle at him.

The incident happened one evening in October when Evans was carrying the rifle over her shoulder before she cocked it and aimed it at the man's window, Exeter Crown Court was told.

She did not fire the weapon and had returned home with it when police found her drunk inside her flat.

Evans, 42, of Petitor Mews, Torquay, admitted affray by putting neighbour Anthony Kelly in fear of unlawful violence.

She was ordered to receive 12 months' supervision as part of a 12-month community order by Judge Graham Cottle who said she suffered from "underlying mental health problems".

David Bowen, prosecuting, said the incident arose from a neighbour's dispute over allegations of noise from Evans' flat.

A neighbour complained and later saw her in the street with a gun which was aimed at his window but not fired. Police later recovered an air weapon.

Mr Bowen said it was apparent to police that Evans was "substantially intoxicated" when they arrived at the scene.

Paul Dentith, defending, said Evans had the gun because she wanted her dog to get used to it when it goes rabbiting.