Oscar Pistorius faces a parole hearing that will decide if he will be freed from prison, a decade after he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The former Olympic and Paralympic athlete, known as the Blade Runner, has applied for parole and could be freed from prison within weeks after serving half of his 13-year-five-month sentence.

A parole board, which will start its hearing today, must determine if Pistorius will be allowed to serve the remainder of his sentence on licence at his uncle's home in South African capital city, Pretoria.

A spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services said: "The board must determine whether the purpose of imprisonment has been served."

A decision is expected to be announced in days or weeks.

His six-month televised trial in 2014 caught the attention of viewers all over the world - less than two years after he made history at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Oscar Pistorius faces parole hearing - after serving half his sentence | World News | Sky News