A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, after a pedestrian was killed during a high-speed police chase.

The Police Complaints Authority is investigating the accident in which Jamie Smith, 22, of Didcot, was struck and killed by a sports car as it was being pursued by a police helicopter.

Mr Smith is believed to have been returning home from an evening with friends in Wallingford, when he was hit by the G-registration TVR in Papist Way, Cholsey, near Wallingford. At a special sitting of Oxford magistrates yesterday, Christian Busby, 24, of The Broadway, Didcot, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, aggrav- ated vehicle taking, driving without insurance, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, failing to provide a breath specimen and not driving in accordance with his licence. He was remanded in custody. A post-mortem examination on Mr Smith was taking place today.

The 30,000 car, which police said had been taken from outside the Utopia Nightclub in Reading on Friday, was followed after traffic officers spotted the vehicle's damaged front and tried to flag it down.

The car was tracked along the A340 near Pangbourne by a police helicopter which had been making a routine flight in the area.

The car struck Mr Smith as he crossed the road at Cholsey. Mr Smith worked at Bookpoint, book distributors at Didcot. He lived in Celsea Place, Cholsey, before moving to Didcot two years ago. Villagers in Cholsey were shocked by the tragedy.

Flowers and cards - many containing touching messages from bereaved friends - have been left on the pavement at the scene of the accident.

One of his friends, Mathew McGee, 25, of Charles Road, Cholsey, said: "He was a very happy-go-lucky guy who never hurt anyone. He was a fun-loving chap who was always around."

He added: "We are all feeling miserable and it has made us realise what close friends we were. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Another friend, William Payne, 23, of Pound Lane, Cholsey, spoke to him on the telephone shortly before he was killed.

He said: "Jamie was one-of-a-kind. He was a loveable, clumsy little fool. He was the kind of guy everyone wanted to take care of."