'It's a boy ... he's bleeding to death'

A harrowing tape recording of a 999 call made to London Ambulance Control as Damilola Taylor lay dying was played to a shocked court room today.

The 10-year-old's parents sat stunned as they heard of the desperate attempts being made to save their son's life. All the time, with sounds of shouting and panic in the background the ambulance controller calmly tried to pass instructions on how to keep the boy alive.

The tape begins with carpenter Guillermo Casal on the phone repeatedly spelling out the name of Blakes Road in Peckham.

Casal: "Its a boy bleeding to death. He's actually bleeding to death.

999 Operator: "Its off Southampton Way SE15?"

A second man takes the mobile from Mr Casal.

Caller 2: "He is about 12 years of age. He has lost a lot of blood.

Operator: "Where is he bleeding from? Have a look to see what part of his body is bleeding."

Caller 2: "We can't tell." He passes instructions to his workmates to look for the wound.

Caller 2: "It looks like from the upper leg. Shall we raise his leg?"

Operator: "No, don't move him."

Caller 2 (to his colleagues): "Don't move him! Don't move him."

Operator: "Is he awake?"

Caller 2: "No it looks like he's drifting off."

Operator: "Is he breathing?"

Caller 2 (to his colleagues): "Is he breathing, is he still breathing?"

Operator: "Listen, what I need you to do is to get a clean cloth or a towel. A clean, dry one."

Caller 2: "Got a clean towel, has someone got a clean towel?" The operator seeks reassurance that Damilola is still conscious.

Caller 2: "No it looks like he's going unconscious."

Operator: "Speak to him to try and bring him round. Get a coat over his body to keep him warm."

The workmen are told to send one of their number into the street to flag the ambulance down.

Operator: "Is the blood squirting out?"

Caller 2: "He's actually wearing trousers and the blood seems to he coming from underneath his leg."

Operator: "Is there anything you can cut the trousers with. Be careful, though."

Caller 2: "Get some scissors! Cut his trousers!"

Operator: "We really need to stem that bleeding. Have you got anything to put on it yet?"

Caller 2: "We're just getting someone to cut the trousers away so we can see where it's coming from."

Operator: "He is still breathing?"

Caller 2: "He's still breathing but he is in a very bad way."

Operator: "And he's bleeding very heavily, yeah?"

Caller 2: "Very."

Operator: "Have you got something to put on it yet?"

Caller 2: "We've got some gauze."

Operator: "Hold it on the wound directly where it's bleeding. You've got to stem the bleeding."

Caller 2: "We can't see where. We still can't see the cut."

The caller searches for the wound and then finds it in his thigh.

Operator: "Is there anything in the wound."

Caller 2: "Can we see anything? I don't want to twist his leg."

Operator: "Right, you are doing well. What you need to do is hold it on there firmly."

Caller 2: "He's stopped bleeding."

Operator: "Can you see any blood pumping?"

Caller 2: "Keep him going!"

Operator: "Is he awake."

Caller 2: "No, he's drifting off." The police arrive at the scene. A PC Drew comes on the line and is asked if Damilola is breathing.

Drew: "He's stopped breathing." They find that the boy's chest does not rise as they try and blow air into his lungs.

Operator: "Is there anything in his airway?"

PC Drew passes on instructions and they see that Damilola's chest is now moving.

Operator: "Now feel for a pulse. See if they can get any pulse."

Drew: "I can't feel a pulse."

Operator: "Okay, get the heel of your hand in the middle of his chest, lock your fingers and press down 15 times."

Drew: "I am going to have to put the phone down."

Operator: "Hello? Hello? Hello?" Damilola was certified dead at King's College Hospital an hour after he was attacked.