Mum went on two-day trip to Paris leaving young sons home alone with pan of soup

A mother left her two young sons home alone for two days with just a pan of soup to eat while she went on a two day trip to Paris.

The brothers, aged six and 11, were found by police after the younger boy told his teacher his mum was in France.

Bradford Crown Court heard that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, went to Manchester Airport in March and boarded a flight to Paris where she was making arrangements for her wedding to a man she met online.

On learning the children were not in the care of an adult, the younger boy's school tried to contact his mother but were unable to do so.

When his older brother turned up to collect him from school he was allowed to go home with him. However the school alerted police and the boys were placed in overnight accommodation.

On returning to the UK their mother was arrested by police.

Explaining why the boys had been left home alone, the mother said she had initially intended to leave them with a friend, but claims she was persuaded by the older son that he and his brother would be able to manage alone at home.

Prosecutor Philip Adams told the court she intended to fly back the next day, but would not have arrived home until about midnight.

Defending her, Tom Rushbrooke said she realised that she had made a "terrible mistake", but insisted she was otherwise a caring mother.

Sentencing her, Judge Robert Bartfield told her she had put them "in significant danger" but fortunately no harm was done.

She was sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for a year after admitting two charges of child neglect BBC News reports. Judge Bartfield said he was persuaded not to impose an immediate jail sentence as the mother had been recently reunited with the children.