Evans shocked after friend's death

Chris Evans was today consoling the business partner of one of his best friends, James Ward, who was killed yesterday in a freak yachting accident.

Evans, who watched in horror as his friend was swept from the yacht they were sailing, sat in the passenger seat as his wife, 19-year-old Billie Piper, drove their blue Range Rover from their home in Hascombe Court, near Godalming. She was also visibly upset and wearing dark sunglasses with her blonde hair scraped back into a ponytail.

Evans, in a dark blue fishing hat, green shirt with a pink and white floral design and blue jeans, arrived at the nearby White Horse pub, where Mr Ward had been landlord-for 16 years, at around 11.30am to visit Mr Ward's business partner and former girlfriend Susan Barnett.

Evans and Mrs Barnett later emerged from the pub and walked 100 yards down a country lane to Hascombe's St Peters Church. Evans gently placed his arm round a clearly distraught Mrs Barnett as they made their way to the church.

As she held her face in her hands Evans said: "We have just got some very important things to sort out for James's funeral." The tragedy had happened on a boat trip in the Solent to mark Mrs Barnett's 54th birthday late on Wednesday night.

Studying a board outside the church, the pair appeared to write the vicar's phone number down. Evans then drove Mrs Barnett back to his palatial house.

Friends described Mr Ward, a 50-year-old bachelor him as a "capable and level-headed sailor."

Mrs Barnett's father, Des Smith, 77, said they were all devastated by the news. He said: "My daughter is terribly upset - her and James had known each other for 20 years.

"He was very popular and known by everyone in the village. We broke the news to the staff, nine of who board at the pub - and most of them are crying and are totally devastated."