Naomi Campbell testifies at war crimes trial

Naomi Campbell has been giving evidence in the trial of Charles Taylor at the Special Court for Sierra Leone in the Hague.

The supermodel has been accused of receiving so-called 'blood diamonds' from the former Liberian president during a visit to South Africa in 1997.

Taylor is standing trial for 11 counts of instigating murder, rape, mutilation and turning children into soldiers and has been accused of trading in rough diamonds to buy weapons for fighters in Sierra Leone's civil war.

According to Sky News, Campbell said: "When I was sleeping I had a knock at my door and I opened my door and two men were there and gave me a pouch and said. 'A gift for you'.

"I saw a few stones in there. Very small, dirty-looking stones. There was no explanation, no note."

She added that she told her then-agent Carole White and actress Mia Farrow about the gift the next morning, before handing the jewels over to a colleague.

"One of the two said that is obviously Charles Taylor and I said, 'Yes, I guess it was'," Campbell said. "Once I handed them over... it was out of my hands."

Of being forced to testify at the trial, she added: "I don't want to be here. I was made to be here... This is an inconvenience to me. I don't want my family in danger in any way."

Taylor has always denied owning uncut diamonds, but Campbell's testimony could prove otherwise. The ex-president's lawyers reportedly rejected her appearance at the court as a "publicity stunt".

The trial continues.