Victims of historic sexual and physical abuse at two orphanages are taking legal action.

Youngsters were hit with items including leather straps, wooden crucifixes and a dog's lead at Smyllum Park in Lanark and Bellevue House in Rutherglen.

Others had their mouths washed out with carbolic soap as a punishment for bad language.

A Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, published last week, found those who wet the bed were beaten, put in cold baths and humiliated in ways that included "wearing" their wet sheets.

The victims have now started legal action against the Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent De Paul, who ran the homes.

Laura Connor, of Thompson Solicitors, said: "Many of those who gave evidence to the inquiry about Smyllum and Bellevue are our clients and the evidence they have provided to the inquiry and ourselves means we are now able to proceed immediately with this legal action.

"It's important to survivors the charity now formally acknowledges the inquiry's findings, issues an apology to those who have been affected and admits liability in civil claims against them.

"This will allow the survivors from these institutions to gain some form of justice for the life changing abuse they have suffered."

At Smyllum and a home in Newcastle, children were sexually abused by priests, a trainee priest, sisters, members of staff and a volunteer.

Several children died at the Lanark institution, including Samuel Carr, six, who caught a severe and vicious E. coli infection after contact with a rat.

Others died after being hit by a golf club as well as being struck by a car while on the run from the home.

Evidence was heard over 20 days from 54 witnesses about their experiences of Smyllum Park and Bellevue House between 1917 and 1981.

She added: "What we and the survivors expect is for the Sisters of Charity to meet with us now and for these legal matters to be sorted as quickly as possible.

"We expect the Sisters Of Charity to show compassion and understanding in this matter and not to put people who have already suffered so much at their hands through further anguish and delay."