Detectives in Paris were last night waiting to interview the only survivor of the car crash which killed Princess Diana after he finally regained consciousness and began to talk for the first time. The British bodyguard, Mr Trevor Rees-Jones, has surprised doctors with the extent of his recovery from severe facial and chest injuries.
He has now fully woken and is able to communicate with nursing staff and relatives in the Pitie Salpetriere Hospital in Paris, where he has been in intensive care since the crash.
Prof Pierre Coriat, a consultant at the hospital, said yesterday: "Mr Rees-Jones's condition has markedly improved. He is conscious, able to talk although very easily tired. During the next few days he should be able to eat and recover complete autonomy." Mr Rees-Jones has also been taken off the ventilator which helped to keep him alive.
Police believe the 29-year-old bodyguard may hold vital clues to exactly what happened in the moments before the Mercedes S280 carrying him, the princess and Dodi Fayed crashed into a concrete pillar in an underpass in Paris on August 31st. Experts believe he was saved by his seat belt and the car's air bag.
Meanwhile, French press photographers started a petition yesterday in support of 10 of their colleagues under investigation on suspicion of manslaughter and failure to come to the assistance of the accident victims. The group of some 40 photographers requested all in the media to sign an appeal urging French judicial and administrative authorities to let them do their job.
The ad-hoc group also tentatively agreed to stage a symbolic protest at next week's French cabinet meeting to promote their cause: 91 photographers have already signed petitions.
Two of the 10 have had their press cards revoked. They were barred indefinitely by the investigating magistrate from practising their profession.
The complete BBC recording of the funeral will be in shops throughout the UK tomorrow, it was announced last night.
Elton John's live performance of Candle in the Wind takes its place in the complete Order of Service. Every hymn, prayer and reading is included, together with Earl Spencer's tribute.
All BBC and Polygram Classics UK profits from the album will be donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.