A mother collapsed in court at Dumfries yesterday as a sheriff was told of the ''appalling'' conditions in which her four children had been found in a house in Annan.

As she sat in the dock with her husband, the woman slumped to the floor as the court heard how police had found the children, aged two to seven, shut in rooms with the doors jammed, in conditions of filth, litter, excrement, dirty nappies and empty food containers.

Two court officers went to the woman's aid and she was given a glass of water.

She then heard Mr Peter Repper, prosecuting, tell the court that the children themselves were smelling, and some bruising and scratches were found on them as they were taken into emergency care by social workers.

The couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted neglecting the children at the end of January by confining them in conditions which were dirty and unhygienic and potentially dangerous to their health and well-being.

Mr Repper said the police had called at the house about 6.30pm on another matter and had heard crying from rooms upstairs.

When asked if it was a practice to leave the children locked in the rooms, the father said: ''Usually, yes.''

Social workers had previously visited the house after their attention had been brought to the children by a local headmaster, but no referral had been made by them.

A solicitor said the mother was working six days a week.

Sheriff Kenneth Barr, referring to a social inquiry report on the couple which recommended a period of deferred sentence, described it as ''totally unrealistic''.

He told the parents he was appalled at what he had heard and said his principal concern was to ensure that the children were going to be safeguarded and that a situation like this could never happen again.

He said he would put each of them on probation for three years to ensure that controls were in place and he told them that they must obey the instructions of the social worker.