Danielle Jones was seen arguing with a man in a blue van three days before she disappeared, a court has been told.

A 12-year-old boy said he saw the van pull up behind the 15-year-old as she walked to a shop near her home in East Tilbury in Essex on 15 June 2001.

Chelmsford Crown Court has already heard that Danielle's uncle Stuart Campbell, who denies kidnapping and murdering the teenager, owned a blue Transit van.

The court also heard from an interview with Danielle's brother, in which he said he saw his sister double-back on herself as she left the family home on the day she disappeared.

'Stroppy mood'

Mr Campbell, of Grays in Essex, was screened from the court at the request of two young witnesses on Thursday.

The 12-year-old boy, a friend of Danielle's brother, said he thought the driver shouted Danielle's name as he drew up behind her.

They began speaking, and then started arguing.

"After that she walked off in a stroppy mood."

Earlier, a 13-year-old boy told the court he too had seen Danielle talking to the man in the van on the same day and at the same place.

The court heard the boy did not pick out Mr Campbell in an identity parade two months later.

Text messages

Orlando Pownall QC, prosecuting, read from a video interview with Danielle's brother Mitchell about how she left the house to walk to the bus stop on 18 June 2001 - the day she disappeared.

He said: "She went out the front door and she started to walk the normal way she walks, then turned around and went the opposite way."

Mitchell, aged 12, also said Danielle and her uncle sent each other text messages three times a week.

A friend of Danielle's told the court she called for her as usual on the morning of 18 June, but went ahead without her as she was not ready.

Earlier, the court heard from a neighbour of the Jones family, Jean Frost.

She said she had seen Mr Campbell talking to schoolgirls in East Tilbury on two occasions in the week before Danielle went missing.

The prosecution claims Mr Campbell was "fixated" on his niece and obsessed with schoolgirls.

The trial was adjourned until Monday.