brutes may lead to street lighting along that section of the South Shore Road.

And last night it emerged a groundswell of fury could also provoke the nearby residents into forming a "watch scheme''.

Ex-Bermuda Regiment commanding officer Lt. Col. Craig Curtis said he had been flooded with support since speaking out on the attack -- and calling for corporal punishment .

"Unless politicians get off their backs and do something, residents may be forced to band together. I think street lighting is an absolute necessity. It may act as a deterrent.'' Lt. Col. Curtis, who lives off the South Road, had run from his home alerted by the sound of Wednesday night's beating.

He said he believed the section between Pink Beach and Paynters Road badly needed lighting.

Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira next week -- possibly Wednesday -- will visit the scene of the attack.

Accompanied by engineers he will look into lighting up a darkened stretch of the road. "I will have to look around the area to see if anything can be done,'' said Dr. Terceira.

Dr. Terceira admitted he had been sickened by the vicious assault in Hamilton Parish, near Mid Ocean Golf Course, shortly after midnight.

He added, however, there was no guarantee street lighting would have deterred the thugs.

Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw, from Houston, Texas, were attacked while returning to Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort from a happy night out, shortly before their holiday ended.

They lost control of their bike and fell on to the road when the two louts rode up alongside them.

The youths then set about them, raining blows on 40-year-old Mr. Bradshaw, injuring his face, back, and upper body. His 39-year-old wife was struck about the head -- fortunately protected by a crash helmet. The robbers reached into Mr. Bradshaw's pocket and removed a wallet containing $80.

Lt. Col. Curtis, awakened by the sound of the beating, found the couple in the middle of the road, bruised and battered.

He said they were "absolutely terrified'', describing Mrs. Bradshaw as "quivering like an aspen leaf.'' "Both were badly shaken and bruised, and I ran off to dial 911.'' Lt. Col. Curtis said he apologised to the couple for the incident, deploring Bermuda's slump into crime.

He went on: "We must stamp out this sort thing. We have got to put some teeth into the law.

"I am utterly fed up with politicians doing absolutely nothing. It's farcical this situation should continue.'' He added residents may be forced to band together to tackle street hooligans -- unless politicians act. Without elaborating, he said it could mean a residents' "watch scheme''.