A VISIT to a music festival ended in tragedy for a party of youngsters from Kent whose car crashed as they returned home, killing three of their group.

Police say the group of six was returning from the V Festival in Staffordshire, in the early hours of Monday morning when their blue Vauxhall Zafira careered down a motorway embankment between Junctions 28 and 29 of the M25 in Essex.

A girl in her late teens and two men thought to be in their 20s were confirmed dead at the scene. Two of the dead come from the Maidstone area and the other lived in Larkfield.

Those who died have not yet been formally identified, although police have informed their families.

The driver - a woman in her late 20s - was taken to Darenth Valley Hospital at Dartford with multiple injuries along with a fellow female passenger in her late teens, who sustained a broken arm.

A male passenger in his 20s remains in a stable condition at Oldchurch Hospital, Romford.

The driver and a passenger work for travel company Dial A Flight, based in Mill Street, East Malling, and are thought to live in the Maidstone area.

The M25 was closed clockwise between Junction 28 and 29 following the incident, and re-opened shortly before 12 noon.

It is not thought any other vehicles were involved.

Anyone who witnessed the tragedy is asked to contact the Collision Investigation Unit at Chadwell Heath Traffic Garage on 020 8597 4874.