At the Court of Appeal Lord Justice Wall said the council had done very little to understand her problems and she had been badly let down.

A council spokesman said the hugely complex circumstances of the case could not be discussed for legal reasons.

If a review finds mistakes were made, procedural changes would be made.

We have ordered an independent review of the whole circumstances of this case Northamptonshire County Council spokesman

The council spokesman said on Thursday: "Any decision to separate a mother and child is a difficult one but clearly the Court of Appeal upheld our belief that this was the best course of action for the child.

"Given the seriousness of the issues raised (by the judge), we have ordered an independent review of the whole circumstances of this case, so that if we find that mistakes were made, we can introduce any necessary changes to procedures and take any other appropriate action."

In court on Wednesday Lord Justice Wall said the mother, who cannot be named but is from Northampton, had deserved better at the hands of the local authority.

Though he criticised the council, he upheld an earlier ruling that the baby should be adopted.

The mother challenged a ruling adoption was in the baby's best interests because the father was likely to have too big a role in her upbringing.

'Wretched' beginning

Lord Justice Wall said after a "wretched" beginning the mother had been taken into care at 13 and eventually at the age of 15 allowed to live with an older man who was an "extremely dangerous" career criminal with a drug problem and a personality disorder.

"How this arrangement was allowed to occur beggars belief," the judge said.

Within months she was pregnant by him and after the baby was taken into foster care, a judge ruled adoption was in the baby's interests as the father was likely to play too great a role in her upbringing.