Detectives in London who are searching for the killers of 10-year-old Damilola Taylor have spoken to a witness who saw three children marching a smaller child along the street near to the murder scene in a headlock, it emerged yesterday.
The potentially crucial witness may have seen part of the fatal attack on the boy, according to police.
The children he describes were walking along near to where two knives were found by police investigating the murder.
More than 40 detectives are working on the case and police are searching for three youths who were seen running away from the scene of the attack.
It has also emerged that Damilola was captured on closed circuit TV footage leaving a library with a smaller boy and girl just minutes before his death. Police are appealing for the boy and girl to contact them.
Det Supt David Dillnutt said that officers were examining the CCTV footage, which captured Damilola's final moments.
Police revealed that a second knife had been found about 200 metres from where the boy bled to death on the Peckham estate in south-east London.
Detectives were also investigating a note found in Damilola's locker containing a list of names. It is understood that the names may be those of children the dead boy believed were bullying him.
The British Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, yesterday made a direct appeal for help in tracking down those responsible for what he called the "evil" killing.