Dinner ladies have been accused of bringing cannabis lollipops into schools in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen City Council is probing claims four catering staff have been involved in "transporting and handling" the lollipops between Abbotswell Primary and Hazlehead Academy.

A letter was sent to the council alleging lollipops bought in Amsterdam were being transported between the two schools.

The letter, seen by STV News, accuses the women of transporting the cannabis treats between October and November.

The council called in staff before a sample of one of the lollipops was taken away for testing on May 31. The results have yet to be released.

It has emerged the local authority failed to contact police when the organisation was notified of the allegations. It is understood the catering staff have not been disciplined by their employer.

Unite the Union, acting on behalf of the catering staff, has also claimed the head teachers of the schools were unaware of the allegations until one of the women in question told them.

Speaking to STV News, Tommy Campbell, Unite regional officer, said: "This is an outrageous situation. The council managers and HR advisers have completely breached their own policies.

"This matter should have been properly referred to Police Scotland, who are the professionals who could have investigated this allegation. That should have happened in February.

"There has been a failure to carry out an investigation for three months. This has left the schools and the children wide open to all sorts of things happening."

He added: "The allegations are being denied.

"For the last four months these employees have suffered significant stress and I'm calling for a full inquiry into this matter as to why the council hasn't followed through its policies by going to the police which our union and members would have welcomed."

An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: "An ongoing investigation is under way and we will not be commenting further."