A mother has avoided going to prison after allowing her house to become dangerous for her children.

The woman, who we have chosen not to name to protect the identity of her victims, is from Nelson.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the police became involved in the situation when the woman’s daughter fell out of a first-floor window in September 2022.

She was taken to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and has since made a full recovery.

The incident prompted police and the Child Protection Team to become involved, attending the defendant’s address on September 30.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said photos from the house showed “utter disarray in every room.”

Mr Parker said the bathroom was in a particularly poor state with brown water in the bath and piles of used nappies on the floor.

Neighbours were spoken to and said they were “shocked and disgusted” by the state of the property, that the “rooms stank” and there was “rubbish all over the property.”

One neighbour said they spoke to the defendant on several occasions about the state of her children but she “never seemed to show much willingness to improve the situation.”

Mr Parker also made clear the prosecution’s case was on the basis of the state of the house and not on the basis of the girl falling out of the window.

It was accepted that incident was an accident, but was the catalyst for the involvement of the police.

Mr Parker added that six months on from the first visit by the police, they attended again in March 2023 and took more photos.

The house was “still in a significant state of disarray” though there was a slight improvement, with the bathroom “not quite in the appalling state it was before.”

The woman, aged 44, made full admissions to two counts of child neglect in a police interview.

She has no previous convictions.

Edmund Potts, in mitigation, said the woman has weekly unannounced visits from social services and is engaging with them, with no heightened concerns at this time.

Judge Sara Dodd, sentencing, said: “In the main, you have met the needs [of your children]. You send them to school, you keep in touch with the school.

“You have not, however, been able to maintain a safe living environment, and that is demonstrated by your daughter’s fall.”

The woman was sentenced to 16 months in prison suspended for 12 months and must complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.