Alva McNicol: It seems the only people who could stand trial are the photographers who were first on the scene

The official report, which follows a 16-month inquiry, has absolved staff at the Ritz Hotel in Paris of any blame and lifted manslaughter charges against nine French press photographers and one despatch rider, the Sunday Mirror says.

It says the report concludes that the chauffeur, Henri Paul, was largely to blame and the crash was a result of "excess speed" and "poor control of the vehicle by the driver".

It adds that the inquiry judge, Herve Stephan, has decided that three of the paparazzi pursuing the Mercedes before it crashed in a Paris underpass should be charged under France's "Good Samaritan" laws - for allegedly taking pictures of the aftermath of the crash instead of helping.

The crash has been the subject of much speculation

The report confirms that the Mercedes hit a white Fiat Uno just before the accident - a "simple brush", the newspaper says.

The princess was killed in the crash on 31 August 1997. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, was killed instantly, as was Henri Paul, who had been deputed to drive the couple away from the Ritz Hotel.

The only survivor was Dodi Fayed's bodyguard, Trevor Rees Jones, who suffered serious face and back injuries.

Judge Stephan's first act in the inquiry was to place the pursuing paparazzi on notice of manslaughter charges. But as the investigation went on, suggestions that the photographers had directly caused the car to crash receded.

The report is to be submitted to lawyers involved in the case later this month - with more inquiry interviews to be conducted before it is handed over.