A MOTHER from Bolton lost her second child to adoption before leaving the maternity ward, a court heard.

The woman, whose first baby was still a toddler when he was taken from her, had her second-born removed because of her "chaotic lifestyle" and her inability to choose her friends and partners wisely.

On one occasion she was arrested for child neglect after passing out drunk while in charge of her older child, then aged 18 months.

All attempts to rehabilitate him with his mum failed and he was placed for adoption when he was three.

His little brother was put in foster care by Bolton Council immediately after his birth, said Judge Iain Hamilton.

Still under one year old, the council argued that he too should be taken permanently from his birth family.

And the judge agreed adoption was the "only realistic option" for the youngster and that "nothing else will do".

The child's mother had a sad history of instability, alcohol abuse and "inappropriate choices" of friends and partners.

The younger boy's father had been in prison, had a history of mental illness and the judge described his evidence as "sadly unconvincing".

He also had "no confidence" that he could place much reliance on anything the mother told him.

The couple had handled the little boy well during contact sessions and the judge said they had "obvious love and affection" for him.

But he ruled there was no real possibility of the boy being returned to their care.

He concluded: "I am satisfied that adoption is in the best interests of this child.

"There is no other realistic available option and the reality is that nothing else will do so far as he is concerned."

Contact between the couple and the boy will now steadily be reduced with a view to permanent adoption.

Once a new family is found for him, his parents will be permitted only "letterbox contact" once a year.