A 32-year-old woman has appeared in court charged with the murder of her three-year-old daughter more than seven years ago.

Lesley Dunford is accused of killing Lucy Dunford at their family home in Pelwood Road, Camber, near Rye, East Sussex, on February 2, 2004.

Dunford was arrested on Tuesday and brought to Brighton where she was charged by Sussex Police detectives.

The charge followed an inquiry by the force's major crime branch after East Sussex coroner Alan Craze halted an inquest into Lucy's death in January 2009 to enable police to investigate the background to her death.

Three post-mortem examinations were conducted on the youngster and they found she died from asphyxia caused by the forced blockage of her airways.

Lucy's death followed that of her younger brother, Harley, six months earlier. He died from an infection on August 27, 2003, when he was just seven months old.

Bespectacled Dunford appeared at Hastings Magistrates' Court dressed in a blue hooded top and flanked by two security guards in the dock.

She spoke only to confirm her name, address and date of birth, and that she understood the charge facing her during a five-minute hearing.

Kim Goodall, defending, said a bail application would be made when she makes a preliminary appearance at Lewes Crown Court on Thursday.

Chairman of the bench Tim Lawrence remanded Dunford, now of in of Rydal Mews, Windermere Close, Exeter, in custody until her next appearance.