A Sussex drama teacher sparked a security scare at one of Britain's biggest airports when she pretended to be carrying a bomb.

Patricia Aspinall, 39, set off alarms as she passed through security checks at Manchester International.

The teacher, who lives at Wayward Hill Farm, Upper Hartfield, near Lewes, told airport staff: "It can't be my shoes - they are all leather. It is the bomb I am carrying."

Aspinall was prevented from boarding her British Midland flight to Gatwick and arrested on Saturday morning.

She appeared at Trafford Magistrates Court yesterday where she was given a ticking off by the chairman of the bench for being "stupid".

Aspinall was returning home after spending Christmas and New Year with relatives.

In an interview with police officers she expressed surprise at the fuss she had caused.

She insisted it was an "off the cuff remark made as a joke".

The court heard Aspinall made her remark about the bomb when security staff asked why she thought the alarms had gone off after she had walked through the security system and were giving her a body search.

Aspinall pleaded guilty to supplying false information about a hoax bomb.

The teacher, who specialises in helping children with learning disabilities, was said to be of nervous disposition.

She appeared in court wearing a frilly pink blouse, black cardigan and a long denim skirt with a strawberry coloured scarf around her head.

Martin Richardson, defending said: "She gets nervous when confronted with authority as you can tell by her appearance in court."

He said the offence was at the lowest scale even though it was a very serious matter.

"Nobody was placed in any fear. It was a stupid remark. It was spontaneous.

"She did not set out to get the building evacuated. In the light of recent times, everyone is fearful of acts that have happened in the past. As a result of that tension, she was very anxious.

"In a grossly misguided attempt to relieve the tension, she made this remark, which she utterly regrets."

Chairman of the bench Roy Jolley, sentenced her to a six-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay court costs of £75.

He said: "It was a very stupid remark to make in the present circumstances."