A MAN has appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving over an accident which killed one of his friends and injured three others.

Ashley Fielding, 20, of Whalley Banks, Whalley, is accused of being the driver of a red Honda Civic Type R which crashed into a parked car in Mellor Lane, Mellor, earlier this year on April 21.

Ashley Connell, 23, of Knowsley Road, Wilpshire, who was a front-seat passenger in the vehicle, died at the scene of the accident after being thrown through the windscreen.

Fielding suffered a broken shoulder and pelvis in the crash. Christian Gillibrand, 20, of Ramsgreave Road, Blackburn, Sam Litherland, 21, of Longsight Road, Copster Green, and Julian Hollings, 23, of Ribchester Road, Blackburn, were all also hurt.

Fielding was initially arrested after being released from hospital in the weeks after the crash and was charged when he answered his police bail last week.

He was sent on bail to Preston Crown Court by Blackburn magistrates where he will appear on December 12.

He gave no indication of plea during the hearing yesterday and was granted unconditional bail.

Ashley Connell, a former pupil at Bowland High School in Grindleton, was remembered by more than 300 people at a special event at Langho Football Club's ground, Longsight Road, earlier this month.

They were raising cash for the North West Air Ambulance and the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pen-dlebury.