The mother of a woman accused of murdering Margaret Fleming did not believe her daughter's explanation of the woman's whereabouts, a court has heard.

Margaret Fleming, described as having learning difficulties, was reported missing in October 2016 from her home in Inverkip in Inverclyde but it is alleged she was killed between 1999 and 2000.

Edward Cairney, 76, and Avril Jones, 58, are accused of her abduction and murder.

Cairney and Jones also deny pretending Margaret was alive and fraudulently claiming £182,000 in benefits.

Jones's mother Florence said her daughter told her in January 2000 that Ms Fleming had left to live with a traveller.

The 78-year-old told the court the two accused visited her the morning after police searched their cottage.

The court heard officers had also called at her home on the night of the visit in October 2016 and told her Ms Fleming had been reported missing.

Ms Jones said: "They said she had left that night, my answer was she hadn't lived there for years. I was really upset to think that after all these years, she had just been reported missing then.

"Avril and Eddie came to my house the next morning, it was because the police were there the night before.

"Eddie was saying 'this is all my fault, Florence'. "Then he said that she had been there for three weeks. He said he had allowed Margaret to come and stay with them on-and-off if she wanted to.

She added: "They knew by my reaction that I didn't believe that Margaret was there."

Ms Jones told the court her daughter had the power to take money out of Ms Fleming's account and had been told the alleged victim would turn up to collect it.

Meanwhile, another witness earlier told the court she did not think Cairney and Jones were "fit enough" to be Ms Fleming's carers.

Jean McSherry had been engaged to marry the father of Ms Fleming before he died from cancer in October 1995.

She told the court: "I wasn't happy about it. I didn't think they were fit enough, I didn't think they were the right sort of people to look after Margaret."

Cairney and Jones, described as friends of Mr Fleming, deny murdering his daughter, who would now be 37.

The trial before judge Lord Matthews continues.