A TEENAGER told the jury he saw the defendant kicking Sophie Lancaster in the head during the skate park attack that led to her death.

The 15-year-old witness said in police interviews he had tried to help the former Stonefold Primary School pupil after she was left lying on the floor.

In a recorded interview shown to the jury, the boy said he had not seen the initial attack on Sophie's boyfriend, Robert Maltby, and had walked away when he thought it was going to "kick off".

When he returned to the skate ramp he saw both Sophie and Robert being attacked.

He said: "I saw (the 16-year-old who has pleaded guilty and the 15-year-old on trial) kicking the girl, she was on the floor. I think she was trying to stop them from hitting her boyfriend."

He said he had seen the pair punching Robert in his back and face while Sophie was shouting at them to stop.

He said that Sophie and Robert were left lying about a foot away from each other at the end of the attack and that he and a girl used a tee shirt to try and stop the flow of blood while they waited for an ambulance to come.

(Proceeding).