A York mother has had her tiny children taken from her because of her and her partner's drunken behaviour on a bus.

The partner had dropped one of the woman's sons while putting him into a buggy as they left a pub on March 11, said Colette Dixon, prosecuting.

After the couple boarded the bus other passengers were so alarmed by their behaviour they called police.

The two small children in the buggy were taken to hospital where one was found to have a swelling on the side of his head and a bruise on his left cheekbone. He also had old bruising on his lower chest.

Andrew Craven, defending, said police and social services had not allowed the mother to have the children back after the adults were arrested and the youngsters were now under care orders.

The couple, both from York, pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a child on the highway. The woman also pleaded guilty to assaulting the man. Neither is not being named to protect the children's identities.

Ms Dixon said when police arrived: "Both defendants were heavily intoxicated. They were slurring their words, they were stumbling in the street."

The woman launched herself at the man and slapped him in the face.

She told police: "I did it in front of you because he dropped my kid in the road."

Both defendants were made subject to 18-month community orders at York Magistrates Court. The woman was ordered to do 30 days' rehabilitative activities, a rehabilitation programme and 200 hours' unpaid work.

The man was ordered to do the same rehabilitation programme and an alcohol treatment programme. His sentence also included a 12-month ban on entering B&M on Foss Islands Road for earlier stealing.

Each must pay £85 prosecution costs and a £95 statutory surcharge.

Mr Craven, who represented both defendants, said they were in a long-term relationship and the man had a binge drinking problem.

The couple had gone into a pub for one drink, which had become several drinks.

"They then left the pub obviously having imbibed far too much," he said.

As the couple put the children in a buggy, one of the boys had slipped out of the man's arms, been picked up and put alongside the other.

That had led to the two arguing and the argument had continued on the bus.

"Other passengers on the bus had called police because they were concerned the argument was starting to develop a nasty edge," said Mr Craven.

The couple and the children had been a family before the incident and both the adults would have to convince social services that the children could be returned to them.

The mother realised she may have to choose long term between her partner and her children.

"She has decided it will be her children she places first," he said.

The man also wanted to be part of the family and knew he had to change his ways.