The Daily Mail’s publisher has “strongly denied” an allegation made by a lawyer for Prince Harry that journalists’ emails and documents had been deleted.

The allegation was subject to a warning by a judge at the latest preliminary hearing in the case brought by a group of high-profile individuals including Harry, campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish.

They are suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) for alleged misuse of private information.