a Coroner ruled yesterday.

"The cycle came around the bend well on the wrong side of the road and collided with the middle of the front while that car was still in its correct lane,'' said Coroner Will Francis.

"He (Mr. Simmons) did his best to avoid the accident by pulling hard to his left.'' Mr. Francis gave the ruling at the end of the inquest into the August 17, 1997 road traffic accident which led to the deaths of Susan Mills of Simmons Lane, Sandys, and David Alves of Vaucrossons Crescent, Pembroke.

Witnesses earlier told the court the pair left work at the Packwood rest home and travelled together to the Somerset Country Squire.

While there they both drank several beers.

Yesterday Mr. Francis said an important issue surrounding the accident was the question of who was driving the motorcycle at the time of the accident.

However, he said eye-witness testimony, particularly that of a visiting Canadian Police Officer, proved Mrs. Mills was in control of the cycle at the time of the collision.

Mr. Alves and Mrs. Mills were both thrown from the Suzuki Address motorcycle after they collided with a car driven by Simmons on a sharp left-hand bend on Somerset Road, Sandys.

They suffered extensive injuries and died shortly after the accident at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Yesterday Mr. Francis described the incident as a "tragic accident'', especially in light of the ages of the victims -- Mrs. Mills was 36, Mr. Alves was 38.

Mr. Francis also noted Mr. Simmons' driving could not be questioned as he was driving carefully and properly at the time.

As a result, he determined Mr. Alves and Mrs. Mills both died from misadventure.