TWO nursery workers from Duns have been accused of forcibly dragging about children in their care and locking them inside cupboards.

Nicola Jeffrey, who is 22, and 34-year-old Teresa Renton are charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person fear and alarm on various occasions between January 1, 2015, and August 1, 2016.

The offence is alleged to have been committed at Little Reivers Nursery in Duns, which has since closed.

They both pleaded not guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court to a charge of shouting, forcibly dragging children about and lifting them off the floor by the arm, as well as locking children inside cupboards and refusing to let them out.

The charge also relates to making offensive and abusive comments towards and about young children, and behaving in an aggressive, threatening and abusive manner towards young children in their care.

Jeffrey is further alleged to have seized hold of the arm of an injured child who was receiving treatment from a colleague and it was later ascertained the arm had sustained two fractures.

Jeffrey is also said to have changed the nappy of a child in a public place in view of the public on a concrete floor without using any mat.

Renton of Ainslie Terrace and Jeffrey of Rachel Drive, both Duns, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Two days have been set aside for a trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on October 25 and 26.