Jury dismissed in £14m drug trial

The men have been bailed to appear at a retrial hearing at the crown court

The trial of five men who denied trying to smuggle cocaine with a street value of £14m has been halted.

The seven-week trial at Manchester Crown Court was halted by Judge Michael Henshell because of a "technicality".

The men, from Lancashire, Nottingham and Cumbria, denied the charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and to supply amphetamines.

They have been bailed to appear at a retrial hearing at the crown court on 8 September.

Phillip Grange, 55, of Park Valley, Nottingham, Simon Finlay, 33, of Park Lane, Wesham, Preston, Peter Hannigan, 50, of Howe Gardens, Kendal, and Darren Morris, 33, and Mark Neville, 42, both of Preston, were released on conditional bail.

The arrests were made after the drugs were seized at the Port of Harwich, in Essex.