Damilola parents to unveil memorial

An imposing 10ft memorial to murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor is being unveiled at his school today.

The statue, depicting a phoenix flying through a hoop of fire, will provide a lasting memorial to the 10-year-old who was stabbed and left to bleed to death on a stairwell in Peckham.

Located in a garden at Oliver Goldsmith Primary, it is due to be unveiled by his parents and Education Secretary Estelle Morris. The garden became a focal point for local people to lay floral tributes and toys in the days following his death in November 2000.

The occasion will be particularly poignant for Damilola's parents Richard Taylor, 56, and Gloria, 50, as it will be the first time they have visited the school since he was killed.

In April, four boys were cleared of Damilola's murder at the Old Bailey. Damilola arrived in Britain from Nigeria with his family only three months before his death.