AN 82-year-old woman has appeared in court and denied murdering a fellow resident at a care home.

May Thrower pleaded not guilty to murdering Olive Garvie, 93, who died almost three weeks after she was found collapsed in her room at the private Coniscliffe Residential Home, Jesmond, Newcastle, with head injuries.

Staff at the home had found Mrs Garvie lying unconscious after hearing noises coming from her room in the early hours of February 7.

A trial date was set for October 18 and is estimated to last four or five days.

Mrs Thrower was remanded in custody until the trial and no application was made for bail.