A woman has gone on trial accused of beating a pensioner to death with a rolling pin.

Mary Logie, 82, was found dead by police at her home in Leven, Fife, on January 5, after failing to meet a friend.

On Monday, her neighbour Sandra Weir, 41, went on trial accused of murdering the pensioner by repeatedly striking her on the head and body with a rolling pin.

Giving evidence on the first day of the trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, Mrs Logie's son told jurors how his mother always spoke "favourably" about her alleged attacker.

Ronald Logie, 60, told the court that Weir helped his 82-year-old mother Mary with tasks around her house and his family gave Weir a bottle of whisky as Christmas present last year.

Mr Logie, of Yorkshire, told the court his mother would phone him every week and never had a bad word to say about Weir.

When Weir's lawyer Murray Macara QC asked how his mother spoke about his client, Mr Logie said: "Always favourably."

Mr Logie, a retired IT security consultant, was the first witness called during the trial.

On Monday, Mr Logie told prosecution lawyer Alex Prentice QC that his mother was an "independent" woman who enjoyed socialising with friends and going to pantomimes.

In recent years Mrs Logie had developed issues surrounding her "mobility", he said.

He told the court Weir was his mother's neighbour and she often helped her with tasks around her house at 35 Greengates in Leven.

Jurors also heard Mrs Logie had started to develop issues surrounding her ability to cope with money in recent years.

Mr Logie told Mr Prentice: "Money went missing and she could not explain it."

The court heard on one occasion when Mrs Logie visited Mr Logie and his partner in Yorkshire at Christmas 2015, she was going to give the pair cards containing cash.

When she arrived at his home the Christmas cards containing the money had gone missing, Mr Logie said.

He told the court his mother became "distressed" and he carried out a search of his car but could not find the cards.

Mr Logie told the court he took his mother home to Leven on January 1, 2016. He then carried out another search for the cards.

He added: "I took her back in my car on the first of January this year. When I arrived I searched high and low and I could find no trace of the cards."

Mrs Logie's daughter Caryl Robertson flew in from Australia to give evidence in the trial.

Mrs Robertson, 55, told Mr Prentice that she last visited her mum in Scotland in September 2015.

She told the court that there was in incident where her mum lost a wallet containing £200.

Mrs Robertson said she searched her mum's house but couldn't find the wallet. She left the house for about an hour and when she came back, Weir came into help search for the missing wallet.

She told Mr Prentice: "I went out and when I came back Sandra was in the house and they had found the wallet."

When Mr Prentice asked her if the money was in the wallet, she replied: "no."

Later detective constable Scott Roxburgh, 37, told the court that he was the crime scene manager following the death of Mrs Logie.

He came to the house hours after the alleged attack. He told Mr Prentice about what he saw in the house. He added: "I saw a blood-stained rolling pin on the three-seater couch."

Weir, a prisoner of HMP Edinburgh, denies charges of murder, drug possession, fraud and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Prosecutors allege that on January 5, 2016, at 35 Greengates in Leven, Weir assaulted Mrs Logie at her home and repeatedly struck her on the head and body with a rolling pin "or similar instrument" and that she did "murder her".

It is claimed that on January 5, 2016, Weir cleaned blood from a floor at 35 Greengates and disposed and washed clothing and "footwear" that she wore during the alleged attack in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.

Prosecutors further allege that on various occasions between April 1, 2010, and January 5, 2016, at 35 Greengates in Leven, Weir stole a "quantity of correspondence" and a "quantity of greeting cards containing money".

It is also alleged Weir stole "unknown" quantities of money, two rings and a "bank card or bank cards in the name of Mary Duncan Kerr Logie" and that she also attempted to steal a cheque book.

Prosecutors claim that on various occasion between December 11, 2014, and January 4, 2016, Weir used Mrs Logie's bank cards to steal £4460 from ATMs around Fife.

She is also accused of pretending to collect money for Guide Dogs for the Blind over a three-month period outside a B&M Bargains store in Leven.

Weir's legal team have lodged a special defence of alibi in relation to the murder charge.

The special defence states that at the time prosecutors say Weir attacked Mrs Logie, the accused claims she was at other locations in Leven.

The trial before judge Michael O'Grady QC continues.