The mum and grandma of murdered schoolgirl Tia Sharp are to stand trial accused of a racist attack.

Natalie Sharp, 33, and Christine Bicknell, 49, are alleged to have assaulted and racially abused a woman in the car park of a Lidl supermarket in Wallington on April 18.

Ms Sharp, of Canterbury Road, Morden, is charged with racially aggravated common assault and common assault.

Ms Bicknell, of Torrington Square, Croydon, is accused of a racially aggravated public order offence.

Both pleaded not guilty to the charges at Croydon Magistrates' Court today, the day after the third anniversary of 12-year-old Tia's death. 

They will stand trial at Croydon Crown Court on August 18.

Stuart Hazell, Bicknell's partner, murdered Tia in their house in The Lindens, New Addington, before hiding her body in the loft. 

Her body was found by police a week later.

Hazell, now 39, was jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 38 years after changing his plea to guilty during his murder trial in 2013.