text: After suffering a blow in the September referendum,  Nicola Sturgeon has steadily set about boosting her political profile. In spite of the defeat which prompted her predecessor's resignation, the SNP leader has racked up support across Scotland since, with some fans even hopeful of a victory on May 7. But weeks after having to deny allegations of back-room plotting against Ed Miliband, Mrs Sturgeon has been rocked by more smearing claims yet. For with just two weeks to go until she canvasses polling station queues, the 44-year-old has been accused of savage violence. The SNP leader (pictured right, aged 14) has denied her sister's claims she used to shave the heads off her sister's Barbie dolls . According to her sister, Gillian Owens, the politician was prone to hacking the hair of from dolls as a child. 'She once cut the hair off my Sindy doll, just for fun,' Gillian Owens, a part-time actress, said. Rebutting the claims, the politician told the BBC: 'I deny the allegations levelled at me by my sister. 'I'm sure I didn't cut the hair off her Barbie doll. 'But if I did it - and it's an "if" - then there would have been provocation involved, I'm sure of it.' Later posting on Twitter, she added: 'For the record I think my sister is misremembering. I'm sure it was a Sindy doll. #dollgate.' Poking fun at the tale, she told one follower: 'I'm not proud of it... but I've changed. My niece's have never come to any harm.' The accusations sparked a Twitter trend with internet users sharing mocking photographs of beheaded Barbie dolls on Saturday afternoon. The politician poked fun at her sister's claims which sparked a Twitter trend on Saturday afternoon . Twitter users were quick to join in on the joke, sharing photographs of beheaded dolls on the social network . One user shared this photograph of the SNP leader as a murderous doll herself, holding a pair of scissors . A joke Twitter account was set up in the name Barbie Sturgeon in the wake of the claims this weekend . In an interview with The Sun, Mrs Sturgeon's sister told of how they were 'like chalk and cheese' growing up. 'I was into dolls and everything girly. Nicola was into sitting reading. She was a very strong-minded wee girl.' Polls suggest the SNP is on the brink of a landslide on a scale unprecedented in modern British politics, winning as many as 50 of Scotland’s 59 Commons seats. That would be all but certain to leave it holding the balance of power at Westminster for the first time. Mrs Sturgeon did not attend a ceremony at the Cenotaph this morning with other party leaders to commemorate the centenary of the Gallipoli Landings. Laying a wreath a Scottish memorial site instead she later attended an SNP women's rally in Glasgow City Centre. The SNP leader skipped the Cenotaph ceremony to join female voters in central Glasgow at a women's rally .
target: SNP leader denied claims she shaved the heads of sister's dolls as a child .
  Bizarre accusations have since sparked the #dollgate social media trend .
  Politician was into 'sitting reading' when she was a girl, her sister claimed .
  Sturgeon today attended aN SNP women's rally in Glasgow City Centre .