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EVIDENCE: Duwayne Brooks arrives at court earlier today (Nov 17)

DUWAYNE BROOKS is testifying at the trial into the murder of Stephen Lawrence today (Nov 17).

Brooks, who was with Lawrence on the night he was stabbed to death at a bus stop in Eltham, south-east London, 18 years ago, has given evidence despite the death of his father yesterday (Nov 16).

Brooks, who told the court that he and Lawrence met on first day of secondary school, said he had ‘made a mental note on the six youths that were on the other side of the street from them’, the BBC reported.

Brooks reportedly said one of them shouted out a racist comment.

He told the court: "I felt threatened. I told Steve to run."

"I ran. When I turned around Stephen Lawrence was behind me, in the road. The group were feet away from him,” he continued.

"The group converged on Stephen. I was looking, view partly blocked by a tree, but jogging back in fear," he added.

When asked if he remembered what the young men who attacked his friend looked like, he replied: “They we're all white and roughly the same ages as Stephen and I”.

The 37-year-old managed to escape the 1993 attack.

The prosecution allege that Gary Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, were part of a group who forced the 18-year-old A-level student to the ground at a bus stop and stabbed him twice.

Dobson and Norris both deny murder.

The trial continues.