I used to shout at the children on odd occasions. All of them

Tracey Wright

They also allege the girl had 60 bruises on her body when she died - including marks made by a hard object, possibly a stick.

Mrs Wright and Lauren's father Craig Wright, also of Welney, both deny wilful neglect and manslaughter.

At Norwich Crown Court on Thursday, Mrs Wright told the jury how she had begun a relationship with Craig Wright, who was her next-door neighbour, in August 1998, and they had married nearly a year later.

Lauren and Mr Wright had moved into her house to live with her and her two children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, a few months before the wedding.

'Good' relationship

Questioned by her counsel, Joanna Greenberg QC, Mrs Wright told the court that her relationship with Lauren was "very good".

Tracey Wright denies manslaughter

She said: "I used to shout at the children on odd occasions. All of them."

Asked whether she had smacked the children, she replied: "On the legs or on the bum."

When asked whether she had ever smacked Lauren on the face, she replied: "No."

She accepted that Lauren would dress more scruffily than her natural children, a boy and a girl, aged eight and five at the time of Lauren's death.

But she said that Lauren used to choose her own clothes.

'Physical arguments

Mrs Wright told the court she was solely responsible for caring for, entertaining, feeding and clothing all three children.

She said Craig Wright did nothing with them but occasionally go fishing and that he drank too much.

Tracey Wright said they would argue over money and his drinking, adding that the arguments had "become physical" on odd occasions.

She told the jury: "I loved Lauren.

"I did nothing to cause Lauren any injury. I never deliberately hurt that child.

"I didn't take her to a doctor as I had no reason to think she was that sick."

'Tummy bug'

When she was asked about the bruises found on Lauren's body, Mrs Wright replied: "I did not know she had a large number of bruises on her arms and body."

Asked why she had not taken the child to a doctor, she said: "I did not realise how ill she was.

"I thought she had a tummy bug as my own two children were also sick. I did not think she needed a doctor."

Mrs Wright insisted to Susan Edwards QC, who is defending her former husband Mr Wright, that she would have never hit Lauren or shouted at her in front of him.

The trial continues.