The mother of a toddler who died following a life of neglect said she felt "no guilt" over the death.

Parents Margaret Wade, 38, and Marie Sweeney, 37, looked after Lauren Wade in a filthy flat described by one detective as one of the worst he had ever seen.

The two-year-old went without proper food or care for months. She was rushed to hospital in March 2015, but died around 30 minutes later.

A judge heard how Lauren was dirty, severely underweight and riddled with "thousands" of head lice at the time. Two older children also suffered, but survived.

The pair were later charged by police - after Wade said she had "no guilt" over the death.

On Thursday the pair faced a culpable homicide allegation at the High Court in Glasgow. But, prosecutors accepted their guilty pleas to an amended charge of the wilful ill-treatment and neglect of Lauren between June 2014 and March 2015.

They also admitted to the same crime in connection with the other two children between 2007 and 2015.

Wade and Sweeney, of Glasgow's Townhead, were remanded in custody pending sentencing in the New Year.

The court heard the pair had been a couple for more than 15 years and both regarded themselves as Lauren's "parents", although Wade was described as "the mother".

Prosecutor Bill McVicar said the case involved "the same basic ill treatment and neglect" of Lauren and the other two children.

This included not keeping the youngsters clean as well as not providing proper food, clothes and medical care.

Mr McVicar said: "The most significant effect of the failure to provide a proper diet is the malnutrition of Lauren which caused complications leading to her death."

The court heard Lauren was "plainly unwell" and "emaciated" for days before she died.

On March 20, 2015, a 999 call was made after Lauren was found to be "unresponsive".

The child was rushed to hospital but soon pronounced dead.

Lauren was described as "skinny, dirty and unkempt" at the time. She also had a sodden nappy, bald patches and "thousands" of head lice.

Mr McVicar said: "Paramedics later noticed that the cover she had been lying on was covered in lice and fleas.

"They had to clean and decontaminate the ambulance."

Wade told nurses Lauren had been suffering from a virus for a couple of days.

Mr McVicar said: "She kept her hood up to disguise her own infestation of head lice.

"She appeared dirty and smelled of body odour."

A post-mortem revealed Lauren had been the victim of "severe neglect". There was also evidence that lice had been there for "over 17 months" of her life.

Police probed the horrific living conditions Lauren and the other children had been subjected to.

One detective who later viewed the Foutainwell Drive flat branded it "one of the most disgusting houses" he had visited in his police career.

The court heard it was littered with rubbish, leftover food, dirty plates and clothes. There were also "hundreds" of insects and flies.

Mr McVicar said: "It is clear the failure to provide proper accommodation was a long-standing issue which did not simply emerge in the days or weeks before the death of Lauren."

It emerged that earlier - in June 2014 - a school nurse made an unprompted visit amid concerns.

Information was then passed onto social workers. A health visitor went on to discover the flat "messy" including cigarette butts on the floor.

A further visit was then planned - it was during this that the home was found to be clean and "unrecognisable".

But, Mr McVicar explained: "Since that visit the conditions deteriorated again, causing all three children to live again in an unsafe and unhygienic environment.

"This exposed them to the risk of infection and unnecessary suffering - in the case of Lauren may have played a part in her death."

The court heard Lauren died due to "complications with malnutrition".

Mr McVicar said: "Margaret Wade accepted no responsibility for her failings in basic parenting.

"She said she had no guilt over Lauren's death."

Sweeney meantime accepted she should have been "more forceful" regarding the state of the house.

Locking them up for reports, Lady Stacey said: "You have pled guilty to very serious charges. I am not prepared to allow bail to be continued."