A surveyor gunned down in a village street was working on a major Oxfordshire town centre redevelopment scheme.

David Tomkins, 51, who police believe could have been involved in a love triangle, worked for South Oxfordshire District Council and was working on plans to revamp Didcot.

A statement was being issued today telling district councillors and staff of his death.

Mr Tomkins's wife, Penelope, returned home from work on Tuesday to find him dying from a gunshot wound.

He had been shot in the back moments after parking his Mazda MX5 convertible sports car outside their cottage in Lacey Green, near High Wycombe.

Father-of-two Mr Tomkins, who has two grown-up children, Amanda and Mark, was rushed to Wycombe General Hospital but was dead on arrival. Detectives carried out a search yesterday around the murder scene and officers cordoned off Mr Tomkins's R registration car and his wife's blue Fiat Punto.

The couple's friend and former neighbour Sue Hudson said: "They were our closest friends. They had been married for 28 years and seemed to be devoted to each other. I just can't believe this has happened."

Mr Tomkins was working on a £30m scheme to improve Didcot town centre.

Adrian Littlebury, 53, of Hayes, Middlesex, has been charged with murder, possessing a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence and possession of a loaded shotgun in a public place.

He was due to appear before Aylesbury magistrates today.

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