A NEWPORT MP says the sensational collapse of the trial of Princess Diana's former butler "leaves us with more questions than answers".

And Newport West MP Mr Flynn says the explanation offered for the trial's collapse "is not plausible".

The trial of Paul Burrell, whom Princess Diana famously described as "my rock", collapsed yesterday after it was revealed he told the Queen just after Diana's death that he had kept some of the Princess's private papers "for safekeeping".

Mr Burrell had been charged with theft, but he was cleared when that fact came to light.

But Mr Flynn said after the case: "The explanation offered is not plausible.

"The most likely reason is that when Paul Burrell came to give evidence he was going to provide extremely damaging new information which would be damaging to the Royal Family.

"If the explanation given was really the case, why wasn't the trial halted three weeks ago?

"It must have been clear to the Queen, because she is known to have been an enthusiastic reader of newspapers, and the trial should therefore have been halted on day one.

"I have never understood how they could possibly prove that Diana did not give Mr Burrell permission to take these things."

But royalist William Graham, the Conservative Assembly Member for South Wales East, said he thought Mr Flynn's comments were "inappropriate".

Mr Graham, who is also a magistrate, said: "I would say that anybody who has had the misfortune to be involved with a trial would know that the time to make allegations or revelations is before you are charged.

"You don't wait to be charged and have your name dragged through the mire."