A nursery worker allegedly force-fed babies their own vomit and put blankets over the faces of those who would not sleep, Croydon Crown Court has heard.

Laura Pettitt, 27, is also alleged to have thrown children about at Little Stars nursery in Bromley, south London.

Ms Pettitt, of Beckenham, denies 10 counts of child cruelty between January 2006 and November 2008.

Among the counts are accusations she roughly shook a baby born prematurely and refused to change dirty nappies.

It is alleged one youngster was left with a grazed nose after Ms Pettitt threw him onto a sofa while in a temper.

'Lost her temper'

Ms Pettitt worked at the nursery for seven years, becoming manager of the baby room.

After her arrest in January 2009 Ms Pettitt said colleagues invented "malicious" lies after learning she was a lesbian.

Prosecutor Tana Adkin said: "Laura Pettitt, when she lost her temper and the babies would not do her will, would treat them roughly in a manner that amounts to cruelty.

"She would force-feed them, causing them to vomit, shout at them, and throw soft toys at them from time to time and leave them in their soiled nappies refusing to clean them."

Ms Adkin added that Pettitt left another boy "gagging and gasping for breath" after she force-fed him until he vomited and "seemed to find it amusing".

The allegations came to light after nursery assistant Nicola Fiddler complained that Pettitt used her foot to push a child's head so hard it began crying.

She told nursery management but felt the complaint was not taken seriously, and went to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Social services and the police were then informed.