The jury in a trial of a Maidstone taxi driver accused of causing death by dangerous driving has failed to return a verdict.

Paul Jeffree, of Marsham Street, was driving a Vauxhall Zafira on the northbound carriageway of the M3 near Sunbury-on-Thames in Surrey in October 2014 when the fatal crash happened.

His car collided with a Toyota IQ2 being driven by 18-year-old Charlotte Riches, from Basingstoke, which caught alight.

The 58-year-old denied causing her death and seriously injuring her passenger Tracy Head through dangerous driving, but admitted a lesser charge of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

After a week-long trial at Guildford Crown Court, the jury was discharged after being unable to return a verdict on Friday.

The Crown Prosecution Service has been directed to look over the case to decide whether a retrial is necessary.

Otherwise Jeffree will be sentenced in relation to the lesser charge on April 8.