Three teenagers died in the crash on the A131 during a chase, after they failed to pay for takeaway food, Chelmsford Crown Court has been told.

As the prosecution wound to a close in week three of the trial, in which the drivers of the two cars are accused of causing death by dangerous driving, scientific evidence was called.

Forensic scientist Dorothy Allen told the court there was "very strong scientific evidence" that the Ford Escort in which the dead teenagers were travelling and the VW Bora which was chasing them collided.

The two drivers on trial are Christopher Kibble, 18, of Hawkwood Road, Sible Hedingham, driver of the car which carried the teenagers, and fast food shop worker Sakir Olgun, 26, of Willoughby Road, Tottenham, North London.

The court has been told the crash happened after a chase along the A131 on May 6 last year after an incident in which the £14 kebab takeway was not paid for.

Kibble's three passengers, Christopher Jolley from Little Maplestead, Danny Archer from Sible Hedingham and Richard Warren from Halstead, all 15, were thrown from the vehicle, and died of multiple injuries.

Mrs Allen told the court she had investigated whether the front nearside of the VW Bora collided with the offside of the Escort and whether the front of the VW collided with the rear bumper of the other car.

Explaining the technicalities involved in analysing "paint transfer", she said there was paint from the VW on the wheel arch of the Escort.

"They were microscopically and chemically tested," she said.

She continued: "Fragments of paint were on the front wheel arch and therefore there is extremely strong scientific evidence the Bora had collided with the offside."

The scientific evidence, she said was "strong" that at some point the Bora collided with the rear bumper of the Ford Escort."

The hearing continues