London, Nov 2 : The inquest into the death of Princess Diana has heard how the late royal and her beau Dodi Al Fayed shielded their faces as the paparazzi ‘blitzed’ them just moments before their car crashed in the Pont d'Alma road tunnel in Paris.

Jean-Louis Bonnin, who was in a car alongside Diana’s told police at the time how the Mercedes carrying the couple was blocked in at traffic lights by a dark Fiat Uno in front so that a paparazzo on a scooter could get pictures of them through a rear window.

Mr Bonnin revealed that the Princess had been tying to ‘hide and sink into her seat’, as was Dodi.

"In the back of the car on the left I saw Dodi al Fayed, I had seen photos of him in the press that summer, especially on a yacht," the Daily Mail quoted him, as saying.

"He was trying desperately to hide himself, holding on to the safety handle and his right hand was in front of his face.

"I also saw Princess Diana, she was in the back on the right. I recognised her straight away. She was trying to hide too, trying to sink into her seat.

"I also noticed the bodyguard, a young man who seemed nervous and ill at ease."

He also revealed how the Mercedes screeched off at high speed towards Paris’s Alma underpass when it pulled away.

That was when the scooter, a white motorbike and a light-coloured Peugeot 205 accelerated past Mr Bonnin with horns blaring.

Mr Bonnin drove by the crash scene minutes later and saw people taking pictures.

He identified photographer Christian Martinez as the man driving the car that blocked the Mercedes at the lights.

"What a surprise it was for me to see men who instead of coming to the assistance of the occupants of the Mercedes were rushing towards the accident with their cameras.

He added: "I would have stopped but I was afraid, I left sickened particularly by the fact that people were taking photographs rather than giving help.

"I thought the attitude of the photographers was disgusting."

Mr Bonnin statement came to light even as French photogs refused to give evidence in the case. They could now be made to appear via videolink.

An announcement is expected at London’s High Court on Monday.

According to the Daily Mail, Justice Secretary of the UK Jack Straw could ask France to insist paparazzi at the scene of the testify at the inquest.

"The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice will give proper consideration to any approach by the coroner for assistance," a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said. (ANI)