6:47pm UK, Saturday January 10, 2004

The investigation into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales has reportedly taken a new twist.

The Times says British police now doubt whether chauffeur Henri Paul was drunk when he crashed the car carrying the princess and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed.

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Diana, Princess of Wales

It has emerged the French authorities failed to carry out DNA tests on a blood sample taken from Paul's body after the crash in August 1997.

As a result the authenticity of the test now being called into question.

Scotland Yard has refused to comment on the Times story.

Doubts over the validity of the blood sample would threaten the credibility of the French inquiry.

This concluded that Paul was high on a cocktail of drink and drugs when he lost control of the Mercedes car while speeding in the Pont D'Alma tunnel.

His family and Dodi's father, Mohamed al Fayed, have repeatedly drawn attention to the level of carbon monoxide in his sample.

Inquests into the deaths of Diana and Dodi have been opened and adjourned by royal coroner Michael Burgess.

He asked Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens to probe claims the the deaths were not the result of a "straightforward, road traffic accident".