Sara Payne suffered fresh agony when the trial of the man accused of murdering her daughter was dramatically halted.

Sara, 32, had been waiting to give evidence about the last time she saw eight-year-old Sarah alive when the trial was stopped and the judge discharged the jury yesterday.

The trial was restarted today with a new jury.

Before they were sworn in, members of the new jury-in-waiting were asked whether they had taken part in the search for Sarah or had provided information to the police regarding her murder.

They were also asked if they had any connection with the Payne family, the family or Roy Whiting, who is accused of her murder, or Sussex Police.

One man replied he was connected to the Sussex Police team and was asked to leave the courtroom.

The final 12, nine men and three women, took the oath at 3pm at Lewes Crown Court.

They were told Whiting, 42, formerly of St Augustine Road, Littlehampton, denies kidnapping Sarah on July 1 last year and murdering her between June 30 and July 3 last year.

They were then sent home while the court heard legal submissions.

As he dismissed the jury for the day, High Court judge Sir Richard Curtis indicated Timothy Langdale was due to open the prosecution case against Whiting this morning.

Sarah's family did not return to court for the afternoon session.

Yesterday, there were chaotic scenes when Mr Langdale stopped proceedings an hour into the second day of his opening speech after he was passed a note from his junior barrister Crispin Aylett.

The jury was asked to leave the court at 11.10am, triggering a flurry of activity between the prosecution and defence teams.

The court went into closed session for 90 minutes before the jury was recalled and formally discharged.

The judge apologised to the seven women and five men of the first jury, saying there had been a "procedural irregularity".

He said: "I am sorry to say I have had a report which describes a procedural irregularity. I'm going to discharge you from further jury duty. I regret it but it's one of those things."

Sarah's parents, Michael and Sara, left the court 15 minutes later.

Mrs Payne had been due to give evidence yesterday.

Sarah vanished from a field in Kingston Gorse, near her grandparents' house, where she had been playing with her brothers and sister on July 1 last year.

Her disappearance sparked a nationwide hunt which resulted in the discovery of her body dumped in a field near Pulborough on July 17.

Friday 16 November