A SOUTHAMPTON mum ran up a legal bill of £60,000 fighting to get her daughter back after she was taken into care, it has been revealed.

The lawyers' costs run up by the woman was revealed to judges at a Court of Appeal hearing.

Judge Edward Hess had decided that the girl should be removed from her home at a private family court hearing in Southampton nearly two years ago, a barrister said.

The woman had challenged his decision.

Appeal court judges had upheld her challenge and ruled that the case should be re-heard by another family court judge.

Social services bosses at Southampton City Council subsequently agreed that the child could return to the woman's care.

Paul Bowen QC outlined developments at a Court of Appeal hearing in London on Friday.

He told Sir Andrew McFarlane and Lady Justice King, who were considering a number legal issues in the case, that the woman had been unable to get legal aid.

Mr Bowen said the girl, who turns seven this year, had been removed from home on the "slimmest evidence of harm".

The two judges said the girl could not be identified in media reports of the case.