Prince Charles's friend Eva Rausing was monitored by a team of former SAS operatives - the elite British commando squad - in a vain attempt to stop her from buying drugs before she died, it was reported today.

Her family employed an eight-man team of former SAS soldiers to keep her under surveillance, according to the Daily Mirror, who were paid up to £100,000 a year each.

One told the Mirror: "We followed her covertly for as long as possible until we knew she was about to buy drugs and then we would disrupt it by beeping horns or walking up to the car and staring. Most times the scum who were selling the stuff were terrified and drove off. On more than one occasion we called police and told them we were witnessing an open drug deal. The aim was to protect Mrs Rausing from herself. But we couldn't physically stop her going out at night."