Six children were found living in a horrific 'Victorian slum' where they were surrounded by dog poo, mouse droppings and used nappies, a court has heard.
Shocking photographs show the extent of the squalid conditions the children were forced to live in, with the scenes in the house being likened to a 'Victorian slum'.
Stomach-churning pictures of the house in Wirral, Merseyside, showed mountains of rubbish piled up in the kitchen, the sink and bathtub filled with discarded cans and bottles, and clothes thrown across the floors.
The parents, who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions put in place to protect the identity of the children, both admitted children cruelty at Liverpool Crown Court and will be sentenced in November.
A judge has demanded answers on the children's welfare and what action was taken to protect them, after it emerged social services were made aware of the conditions 10 years ago.
Shocking photographs show the extent of the squalid conditions that six children in Wirral, Merseyside, were forced to live in, with the conditions being likened to a 'Victorian slum'
A statement from one of the children read in court said the house was 'an absolute dump' and 'not fit to be lived in', saying it had been like this 'for a long time' and 'no one should be living there'.
The victim said there was no running water, rubbish everywhere and 'dog poo all over the place', which was 'disgusting'.
The victim added: 'I would say both my parents are to blame for these conditions. We just need help.'
Liverpool Crown Court heard police were called to an argument between the couple and entered the property earlier this year, where they were confronted with the 'disgusting' scene.
Trevor Parry-Jones, prosecuting, said: 'What they were confronted with could only be described as a scene of unutterable squalor, more reminiscent of the Victorian slum era than the 21st century.'
The children were forced to survive surrounded by dog poo, mouse droppings, a rodent infestation and used nappies, with the mother saying the bathroom hadn't been used 'in years'.
Mr Parry-Jones said rubbish was 'strewn' throughout the house, the children's bunk beds and bedrooms were 'disgusting', and 'dog faeces abounded' on both floors.
He said: 'The bathroom was unusable, the toilet filthy, not having been cleaned for some considerable time, and there was a rodent infestation.'
The parents, who cannot be named, both admitted children cruelty and will be sentenced in November. Pictured: Used cans and rubbish left in the bathroom sink
The stomach-churning pictures showed mountains of rubbish piled up in the kitchen, the sink and bathtub filled with discarded cans, and clothes (pictured) thrown across the floors
Officers called for help, evacuated the children and asked another patrol to bring food, clean clothing and new nappies. Both parents were arrested and interviewed.
The father accepted conditions in the house were 'very bad' and the children 'could have got hurt', but claimed he had cleaned up about a month previously.
The mother, who like her partner claimed she worked 'very long hours', confessed they only ate only takeaway food and said the 'vile' conditions were made worse by their large pet dog.
Photos shown in court included one of a bedroom with discarded tins, plastic trays and wrappers strewn across the floor, while a second picture showed a bottle of bleach and dog faeces on the floor.
The children's school uniforms were stored in a room with old plastic bottles, bags full of rubbish and Pot Noodle containers on the floor.
Mr Parry-Jones said police officers found 'soiled' nappies 'discarded' around the house, while the bathroom was described as 'filthy and disgusting' and had been used as a 'refuse tip'.
