Social workers have been branded "totally insensitive" for staging a protest in the aftermath of the John Smith tragedy.

Ann Turner, the teacher of Maria Colwell, battered to death by her stepfather in Brighton's Whitehawk estate almost 30 years ago, said she was "incensed" over a walk-out by social workers.

Ms Turner tried to alert officials to her concerns about Maria in the months prior to her death and campaigned for reforms following the tragedy.

This week, she was distressed by the actions of social workers in Brighton and Hove following a report into the tragic death of four-year-old John.

More than 100 council workers picketed council offices this week in support of two colleagues suspended following their involvement in the case.

Now retired, Ms Turner, of Elvin Crescent, Rottingdean, said: "They are saying it happened through lack of money and that is untrue.

"They were being totally insensitive. They were laughing and joking and waving their banners about. None of them seemed to bear the child in mind at all."

"I do have sympathy for social workers and the job they have to do. But I was incensed about this action."

Maria's death in January 1973 led to a Government inquiry and changes in the way social services were run.

Kevin Byrne, co-convenor for social care and health for public service Unison, said he regretted if the protesters had conveyed the impression they did not care about John Smith but their aim was to prevent a repeat of his tragedy.

He said: "The focus of the people who work in full-time social work and child protection is to protect children.

"Social workers want to provide the best service they can but every year staff are being cut. In 1999 we lost 20 front-line child protection social workers but we didn't lose any work, it kept piling in.

"At the time we warned, if this happens it's only a matter of time before another child dies but they didn't listen.

"We think, as social workers, no one should ever forget that little boy died and no one should forget Maria Colwell but the best thing we could do to preserve that boy's memory is to fight for the best service we can get.

"Those two social workers are going to live with this for the rest of their lives. People will say "so what" but these men are human beings too."