A neighbour of Oscar Pistorius heard 'desperate cries for help' on the night that the Paralympic champion's girlfriend was shot dead, a court has heard.

The double amputee is accused of murdering Reeva Steenkamp by shooting the South African model four times through a bathroom door at his home in Pretoria on Valentine's Day last year.

Michael Nhlengethwa, whose home is just 11m from the room where Steenkamp was shot, was called by Pistorius's defence team to take to the witness stand at the High Court on Tuesday.

Mr Nhlengethwa testified: "There is a difference between a normal cry - somebody weeping, and a cry when you are in danger and need help. The cry we heard was from someone who was desperate for help. It was very loud."

The witness went on to say that he did not hear any sounds of a woman screaming on that night.

Pistorius denies murder by maintaining that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder.