A teenage girl was killed after a friend "screeched" around an industrial estate in her car doing handbrake turns, a court heard.

Charlene Arnold lost control of her Ford Fiesta and smashed into a skip, leaving 16-year-old Samantha Cundall, pictured right, with fatal injuries and other passengers injured.

Maidstone Crown Court was told Arnold, 19, went to Aylesford industrial estate with NLL Academy pupil Sam, from Tovil, Sarah McKeown, Lee Goble and Yusuf "Joe" Bisgin.

Edmond Fowler, prosecuting, said lorry drivers on a rest period noticed the green car screeching up and down St Michael’s Close at around 9pm on May 6 last year.

One driver, Peter Anderson, told how he was having an early night in his cab when he heard what sounded like a low-flying aircraft.

There was then "an almighty bang", he said, like a plane going through the sound barrier.

Another witness, Sharon Innes-Evenden, described seeing a speeding car appearing to do handbrake turns and spinning around in Brett’s yard.

Witnesses rushed to the crash scene and found Arnold standing by her car. "She was hysterical and in tears," said Mr Fowler.

With her was Lee Goble, who had been in the front passenger seat. Sarah McKeown, 16, was in the back on a child’s booster seat screaming: "Get me out of this car now."

The prosecutor said Sam Cundall was lying across the seat unconscious with a lot of blood on her head.

Firemen had to cut off the roof to get her out. She was taken to hospital but her injuries were so severe she died that night.

Mr Fowler said Arnold told police she had been driving around and a fox ran out. She added she panicked and swerved.

Sarah McKeown said she had also driven the car that evening but swapped back before the crash.

She claimed Arnold had said "I will ----- you up now you mothers -----." before flying off down the road. She braced herself and could tell Arnold was going to lose control of the car.

"Her initial laughter turned to screams as the car went sideways," said Mr Fowler.

A pole sticking out of the skip was thought to have caused the fatal injuries.

Arnold, of Lower Road, West Farleigh, denies causing death by dangerous driving.

Arnold denied in evidence she had been doing handbrake turns and maintained she lost control of the car after swerving to avoid a fox.
The 20-year-old receptionist and cashier also denied making a frightening comment to her passengers shortly before the crash.
Arnold said after allowing Sarah McKeown to drive and getting back in the driving seat the car at first felt sluggish and was revving high.
As she drove around a parked car, something came out in front of her, she claimed.
“It looked like a fox,” she said. “I swerved because I didn’t want to hit it. My foot was on the clutch and I was screaming to put the handbrake down.
“I tried to engage my brake but it wasn’t stopping the car. I was panicking. I couldn’t stop the car. I wasn’t in control of it.
“I didn’t pull the handbrake on. I was sure it had been pulled by the steering wheel locking.”
Asked how she felt about Sam’s death, she replied: “It is not a thing you would like to go through. I don’t think I am going through anything compared to what the family’s going through.
“It has been hard, yes. It has been hard for them. It has been hard to deal with.”

The trial continues.