DNA analysis shows a man accused of murdering two teenage girls 37 years ago had touched "most if not all" of the ligatures used to tie them up, a court has heard.

Angus Sinclair, 69, denies raping and murdering Christine Eadie and Helen Scott, both 17, who were last seen at the World's End pub in Edinburgh on October 15, 1977. He is accused of carrying out the attacks along with his brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton, who is now dead.

Forensic scientist Geraldine Davidson told the High Court in Livingston that around 125 stains on the pieces of clothing used to restrain the girls had been examined during at least two years of "extensive, meticulous" testing.

Giving evidence for a fifth day, she told the jury: "The amount of DNA testing carried out in this case went beyond anything you would normally do."

Ms Davidson said: "The findings provide extremely strong support for the view that Gordon Hamilton and/or Angus Sinclair were involved in restraining and strangling both Helen Scott and Christine Eadie rather than any unknown and undetected individual."

Jurors have heard a defence report detailing Sinclair's version of events, in which he said he had "consensual sexual intercourse" with both girls in a vehicle in Holyrood Park and later left to go fishing.

He claimed the girls were "alive and unharmed" when he left them.

Ms Davidson told the court that the DNA findings supported the assertion that Hamilton had sexual intercourse with both girls, while Sinclair was involved in "sexual activity" with Helen.

She has spent much of her time in the witness box talking the jury through DNA analysis of each of the ligatures that were used to tie up the girls.

Reading from her report, the witness said: "In our opinion, the findings are fitting with our range of expectations had Gordon Hamilton and Angus Sinclair been in contact with most if not all of the ligatures examined in this case."

The trial continues.