THE carers of missing Inverkip woman Margaret Fleming have appeared in court charged with murdering her.

Eddie Cairney, 76, and Avril Jones, 57, of Greenock, appeared from custody in private at Greenock sheriff court this afternoon.

They are also accused of abducting Margaret, attempting to defeat the ends of justice and fraud.

The pair made no plea or declaration and were remanded in custody following a brief hearing.

The case has been continued for further examination and Cairney and Jones are expected to return to court again next month.

Margaret was reported missing on October 28 last year but an extensive police search since then has found no trace of her.

Cairney and Jones were detained by police earlier this week.

Our sister paper The Greenock Telegraph report that they were both held at Glasgow Central Station on Wednesday night and taken to a police station in the city where they were questioned before being formally arrested by detectives late last night.