A MOTHER who left her 10-year-old son at home alone while she went on a trip to Liverpool has been bailed for a probation officer's report and warned she could face prison.

The woman, who cannot be named, admitted two offences of child neglect.

The boy has been placed with a foster parent.

On the day she left the boy she had given him a meal and told him he must not go outside or go to school the next day, the court was told.

But he went out and cut a leg while playing football. He also locked himself out.

He received help with the injury from a neighbour and the police were called when he revealed he had been left alone.

They found the same thing had happened twice before.

The boy claimed he could look after himself and prepared frozen food in a microwave, said prosecutor Liz Tweed.

David Howarth, for the mother, said she had made a grave error of judgement.

The boy, now in the care of social services, attended school regularly and was well-dressed, well-fed and well-mannered.

He had a caring mother who moved her home to seek anonymity and escape domestic violence. She was in a crisis and needed help.

The magistrates bailed her for a pre-sentence report.