A WOMAN charged in connection with the deaths of two children who drowned in the River Wharfe at Arthington in July, 1997, has pleaded not guilty.

Wendy Catherine Dodd, 41, is charged with two counts of manslaughter and two of wilful neglect in relation to the deaths of Charlea Fox and Jasmin Neville, both eight years old of Burley, Leeds.

Dodd, formerly of Hartley Gardens, Burley, and now of Woodhouse, Leeds, who appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday, denied all four charges.

She was remanded on conditional bail for trial on March 22 next year.

The children drowned during a picnic visit to celebrate Charlea's eighth birthday to the banks of the River Wharfe at Arthington, near Pool-in-Wharfedale.

Police divers, a helicopter and police dogs were called in to search the area when the girls were reported missing.

Their bodies were found close together in water three metres deep at an isolated spot known locally as Sandy Bank a few hours later.

The two schoolgirls were close friends and were classmates at Burley St Matthias Primary School in Leeds.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.