An American man has returned a 21kg (46lb) chunk of medieval pillar taken from Jerusalem's Old City 12 years ago.

Israeli authorities had received a letter from a priest asking forgiveness for the man, after he confessed to taking away the stone.

He said a tour guide had given him the weighty piece of marble, and that he had not realised until later that it had probably been stolen.

The Israeli Antiquities Authority said it was not planning legal action.