TWO workers have been cleared of abusing elderly residents in a Hull care home.

Kathryn Mary Broadley, 59, and Tina Taylor, 53, were found unanimously not guilty by a jury at Hull Crown Court of ill-treating and neglecting five women aged between 77 and 90.

The allegations involved residents at the Sycamore House Care Home, in Wawne Road, Bransholme.

As the verdicts were read out the two women hugged each other and cried.

They have told the Mail they had suffered two years of hell.

Mrs Broadley, of Kinloss Garth, Bransholme, said: "We are so relieved. It has been two years of pure hell. Without the support of our families, friends and work mates we would never have got through this.

"They all knew we hadn't done this and have been behind us 100 per cent."

The offences were alleged to have taken place between April and November 2007, when they both worked at the home as carers.

Mrs Taylor, of Camerton Grove, east Hull, said: "Our names have been cleared now and we just want to rebuild our lives.

"The families of these ladies know we would never hurt them. We would never do anything to hurt anyone."

Mrs Broadley, a carer of 12 years, has been cleared of banging the heads of two residents against walls, of waking residents early against their wishes and of dragging them out of bed by their legs.

She is also cleared of washing residents with cold flannels and of refusing to change residents.

Mrs Taylor was cleared of incorrectly hoisting a resident and causing her to cry out in pain.

The allegations were made to social services by three care workers at the home who then contacted the police.

Mrs Broadley and Mrs Taylor were given formal written warnings in 2007 and were sacked after the police charged them.

Sycamore House was taken over by new owners in January last year.

A spokesman for current owner, Sycamore Care Ltd, said: "The company abides by the Safeguarding Adults protocol and ensures all of its service users are treated with dignity and privacy within a safe environment."