The case has been dropped against a teenage motorist from Saffron Walden who had faced a charge of causing the death of his young friend by careless driving.

Max Drane, 18 at the time, of The Wayback, was charged with the offence in which Lucinda Burnell, known as Lucy, died in the accident on December 21, 2011 on the A11 near Four Went Ways.

When Mr Drane, now 19, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court in January he pleaded not guilty and his case was listed for trial later in the year.

On Monday (November 4) though, when the case returned to court the prosecution offered no evidence. The court was told the Crown Prosecution Service had reviewed the case and taken the view that there was insufficient evidence likely to lead to a conviction.

Judge Jonathan Haworth formally entered a not guilty verdict and discharged Mr Drane.

When the accident happened Mr Drane was driving a Vauxhall Corsa southbound and Lucy was a front seat passenger. His vehicle was in collision with a broken down Mercedes Sprinter van, which had been towing a boat, and then with an Alfa Romeo.

Lucy, 17, of Cornell’s Lane, Widdington, was a pupil at Newport Free Grammar School.