A marble found in schoolboy Damilola Taylor's mouth has been shown to an Old Bailey jury at the trial of four youths accused of his murder.

The glass ball with a coloured swirl inside was shown by pathologist Dr Vesna Djurovic in the witness box.

Nigerian-born Damilola, 10, died on November 27, 2000, from a thigh injury caused by a broken beer bottle on the North Peckham Estate, south London, where he lived.

Four youths, brothers aged 16, a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old, deny murder, manslaughter and assault with intent to rob.

'Like a sweet'

Trial judge Mr Justice Hooper described the exhibit as "a standard marble".

Dr Djurovic said the marble had fallen out during the post-mortem examination.

But she said it had not been stuck in the throat, adding: "It was lodged in the mouth rather like a sweet in the mouth."

One of the accused is alleged to have said the marble was placed in the boy's mouth after he started crying in pain.

Dr Djurovic said Damilola died from a 6cm wound to his left thigh, which had cut main blood vessels.

Damilola's father Richard Taylor was not in court for the pathologist's evidence.

Photographs of the dead boy were also shown to the jury.

The case continues.