A SERIAL arsonist who tried to burn down a Hampshire museum is facing a life sentence after starting a fire at a hospital.

Thomas Ashcroft pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered at the Royal Stoke Hospital and Southampton’s SeaCity Museum.

The 39-year-old from Sheffield set fire to a wooden model at the museum, home of the Titanic Story Exhibition on June 6.

Dozens of visitors and staff members were evacuated after smoke was spotted coming from the first floor of the building in Havelock Road. No one was injured and the fire caused only minor damage to exhibits.

A day later Ashcroft struck at the Royal Stoke Hospital prompting a five-hour emergency which led to the evacuation of a number of wards, operating theatres, the critical care unit, A&E, and the children’s centre.

He also admitted to starting a fire at a Staffordshire University building earlier that day.

However, a charge of manslaughter – relating to the death of 89-year-old Royal Stoke patient May Maxfield – was dropped after medical reports stated that the pensioner’s death on the day of the fire was caused by heart disease rather than the stress of the evacuation from the hospital.

The Recorder of Stafford, Judge Michael Chambers QC, said he was considering imposing a life term when sentence is passed on Ashcroft in February.

Ashcroft was jailed for eight years at Canterbury Crown Court in 2013 for similar offences.

Before adjourning sentence, Judge Chambers told the defendant’s barrister: “Given the seriousness of these offences and his antecedents, I have in mind to treat the offender again – as he was at Canterbury – as a dangerous offender but on this occasion to impose a life sentence.”

Ashcroft was previously jailed in January 2013 after pleading guilty to starting fires at hospitals in Kent and at a Sheffield hotel so he could steal to buy drugs.

The 2012 offences - described by a judge as acts of “sheer premeditated wickedness” - were committed shortly after his release from a year-long sentence for burglary.

During the SeaCity fire Ashcroft broke into the cafe and took cash from the till. He pleaded guilty to an addition charge of burglary.

Ashcroft spoke only to confirm his name during the hearing at Stafford Crown Court on Monday.