A 42-YEAR-OLD woman yesterday admitted killing her father whose badly-beaten body was found after a fire at his home.

Ann-Marie Pyle sobbed as she pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 77-year-old Bill Pyle on the grounds of diminished responsibility at Teesside Crown Court.

She pleaded not guilty to murdering the pensioner in his home in Stanley Street, Close House, near Bishop Auckland, County Dur-ham, on November 4. A further charge of arson was left on file.

Retired mechanic Mr Pyle died from multiple injuries, including fractures of the skull.

His battered body was discovered by firefighters who had been called to a fire at his home.

Mr Pyle's daughter, who was seen running naked in the backyard of the house, fled the blaze and was taken to hospital suffering burns and other injuries.

The court heard how the unemployed spinster, who lived at Brooke Street, Eldon Lane, near Bishop Auckland, was suffering from severe mental illness at the time of the tragedy.

Aidan Marron QC prosecuting said: "For many years this lady has exhibited bizarre behaviour of all types particularly in the weeks before this tragedy."

Three medical experts assessed Pyle in February this year, at which point she was protesting her innocence.

Mr Justice Holland, presiding over the hearing, was told she was suffering from a paranoid disillusionary condition that had made it very difficult for psychiatrists to piece together what had happened.

Dr Kim Fraser, author of one of the reports, said Pyle had no recollection of events in the days leading up to her father's death, or what had actually happened on the night.

He said: "I have seen Miss Pyle on a number of occasions.

"I must say that I have found this a very difficult case to come to an opinion. One matter is very clear - she was seriously mentally ill at the time of her father's killing.

"She appeared to have recollection of doing some of the things that harmed her father.

"She later said these hadn't been true memories. Most recently, when I saw her she told me she is now unable to remember any of the events.

"She has no memory of speaking to the police and no memory of being in hospital for her injuries."

Dr Fraser said that Pyle had now fully recovered from her illness but it would be unlikely that she would recall what had happened for a long while.

He said she was genuinely struggling to come to terms with what she had done and was trying to make sense of it.

The case was adjourned until 10.30am today pending a decision on whether further psychiatric assessments were needed.