A mother and her partner have gone on trial accused of murdering her two-year-old son.

Rachel Trelfa or Fee, 31, and her civil partner Nyomi Fee, 28, deny murdering toddler Liam in Fife in March 2014.

The women have also pleaded not guilty to a catalogue of allegations of wilfully ill-treating and neglecting two other young boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, over a period of more than two years.

The pair are also accused of falsely telling others, including police, that one of the other young boys was responsible for Liam's death, and they further denied attempting to defeat the ends of justice following the toddler's death.

Trelfa and Fee went on trial at the High Court in Livingston on Monday after a jury of eight women and seven men was selected.

Judge Lord Burns told them: "You will hear during the course of the evidence, evidence which will be distressing and which is bound to give rise to strong emotions."

He told jurors they must nevertheless remain "impartial and dispassionate" throughout. The couple face eight separate charges.

The murder charge alleges they assaulted Liam at a house in Fife on various occasions between March 15 and March 22, 2014.

Trelfa and Fee repeatedly inflicted "blunt force trauma to his head and body" causing injuries so severe he died on March 22 that year, it is claimed.

Between that date and April 30, 2014, the two are said to have taken steps to avoid detection, arrest and prosecution, thereby attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

That charge includes an allegation they falsely told emergency services workers, police and friends and family that one of the young boys they are accused of neglecting was responsible for Liam's death.

Another charge denied by the women alleges they assaulted Liam on various occasions between January 2012 and March 2014.

Prosecutors also claim that between similar dates, the pair wilfully ill-treated or neglected Liam.

Trelfa and Fee denied the charges of harming two other young boys between January 2012 and March 2014.

In relation to the first child, there are 23 separate allegations, including keeping him in a cage, while there were 20 allegations concerning the second child.

The trial at the High Court in Livingston continues.