A Bolton woman has been given an order to address her alcohol problems – after abandoning a child in her care to go drinking.

Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard Natalie Bell was responsible for a youngster in January last year when she abandoned them.

She left for nine hours to go drinking at a flat in Oldham.

The alarm was raised when the tap was left running at the property she had moved to causing water to come through the roof of the home below.

The fire service were called to the area and found the Bell with the woman she had been drinking with intoxicated.

They later found the child in Bell’s property who was unharmed but also noticed the door had been unlocked the whole time.

Bell, 30, appeared in court after admitting to causing cruelty to a child she had responsibility for.

The child cannot be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Laura Boocock said: “At the time of this offence the defendant lived at supportive accommodation for those previously homeless.

“At around 10pm Bell went to a flat for a period of nine hours.

“The two women were found asleep on the bed.

“One of the fire fighters thought they were dead, they were out cold.”

Representing Bell, defence counsel Ian Ridgway said she had made changes to her life recently.

He said: “Drinking is the problem, she is easily led.

“Since the incident she has moved to a hostel in Bolton.

“She is away from the people who have been influencing her, they have been trying to get her to go back to Oldham and have a drink.”

Judge Maurice Greene, imposing a sentence, said “anything could have happened” to the child during the incident.

He placed Bell, of Bury Road in Bolton, on an 18 month community order, requiring her to attend at 25 days of rehabilitation activity days, undertake alcohol treatment requirement for nine months and complete 100 hours of unpaid work.