Three teenagers died in a horror crash after they were involved in "doing a runner" and stealing £14-worth of food from a takeaway.

A court heard a car chase along a winding country road ended with one vehicle almost cut in half and the other 200 yards away in a ditch.

When police arrived at the scene near Halstead, they found the bodies of three 15-year-olds who had been thrown from one car.

Nearby was a bag containing the £14 -orth of food that had been taken without being paid for, a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court was told.

The court also heard how the driver of the car in which three of his friends died had only passed his driving test days before the accident.

The prosecution has alleged the three teenagers died due to the driving of Christopher Kibble, 18, and fast food shop worker Sakir Olgun.

Kibble, of Hawkwood Road, Sible Hedingham, and Olgun, 26, Willoughby Road, Tottenham, north London, deny causing the deaths of the teenagers by dangerous driving.

Christopher Paxton, prosecuting, told the court Kibble and a number of friends had been out fishing on Saturday, May 5, last year.

As the group continued fishing, it was decided to get some food and Mr Paxton alleged one member of the group was heard to say "let's do a runner", meaning they would not pay for the food.

An order was placed for food from Halstead Fast Food in the town's Head Street and it was arranged the food costing £14 would be delivered to a car park next to a swimming pool near a school.

Olgun arrived with the order in his Volkswagen Bora at about 12.30am on May 6 and this time, the food was handed over and Kibble left the scene in his Ford Escort without paying.

Olgun followed and as both vehicles travelled along the A131 Sudbury Road, Mr Paxton alleged Olgun collided with the rear of Kibble's car before Kibble travelled up a grass verge before returning to the road.

At this point Olgun's vehicle collided with Kibble's before they both left the road.

Mr Paxton said: "Kibble's car struck a tree, effectively splitting the car in two and Olgun's Volkswagen Bora spun across a field for some 70 metres before it ended in a ditch."

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

Olgun and Kibble were not injured and a blood test taken from Kibble later revealed no traces of drugs or alcohol. Olgun left the scene and went to London.

Mr Paxton said experts who examined the scene after the crash were unable to say how fast the cars had been going, but it was described as "substanial".

Kibble told police there had been no plan to steal any food and he said Olgun's car had collided with the rear of his car and pushed him off the road.

After that, "it all went blank," Kibble said.

Olgun said he tried to overtake Kibble's car and in trying to take avoiding action there was a collision and both vehicles left the road.

The trial continues.