A WOMAN is set to face a fresh trial over allegations she left her two little children home alone for four hours while she went shopping.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is alleged to have gone shopping at Farmfoods, the British Heart Foundation and Subway in Blackburn while her children, aged two and five, were left unattended at home.

When officers investigated the incident the woman, who is from Blackburn, is alleged to have created a false alibi by posing as a man and writing letters to the police and social services in a bid to exonerate herself of any wrongdoing. The alleged author of the letters denied ever writing them.

The woman, who is in her 40s, pleaded not guilty to two counts of cruelty to a child and perverting the course of justice earlier this year.

A jury of seven women and five men was sworn in on Monday and the prosecution opened its case.

But the jury was discharged on Thursday for administrative reasons after many of them could not get to court because of the adverse weather conditions.

The woman is due to face a fresh trial later this year.

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