The best friend of a man who drowned in a boat accident has been charged with causing his death.

Mark Smith, 29, and two other friends had gone by dinghy along the River Tyne into Newcastle, for a night out.

There was a dispute over a meal at a Beefeater pub on the riverside and the men left after drinks.

They got into the boat and headed along the Tyne, crashing into the HMS Calliope, a Navy training ship carrying sea cadets. All three were tipped into the river and Mark, from Dunston Hill, Gateshead, drowned. His body was recovered days later.

The other two were pulled from the water and one of them, Sean Robinson, 35, of St Peter's Basin, Newcastle, has been charged with Mark's manslaughter.

He will appear before Newcastle magistrates tomorrow.

Detective Inspector Martin Harvey said: "A 35-year-old man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Mark Smith."

Police investigating the circumstances of the collision, on August 9, conducted speed tests on stretches of the Tyne.

It is understood the speed the dinghy was travelling at the time of the crash will be a crucial factor in the case. The police had not been in pursuit when the two boats collided.

A number of cadets needed treatment for minor injuries.