A RYEDALE man and his girlfriend on their way to a family barbecue were killed after their bike failed to negotiate a bend, an inquest was told.

Lee Michael Routledge, 27, a Royal Engineers soldier who was originally from Swinton, near Malton, and his pillion passenger Karen Parkinson, 24, from Morpeth, Northumberland, died on May 28.

The couple had met Mr Routledge's father, Christopher, at Helmsley, and were riding in convoy with him on unclassified roads to a family get-together on Bank Holiday Monday.

Christopher Routledge told coroner Michael Oakley at Pickering that his son had been riding motorbikes for about a year and had learned while he was in the army.

After the motorcyclists rode through Normanby on the Great Barugh road they approached a series of corners. Mr Routledge and his girlfriend hit a bank at the side of the road and crashed through a fence.

A passing doctor declared Lee Routledge and Ms Parkinson dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination showed that both riders died from multiple injuries.

Coroner Michael Oakley recorded verdicts of accidental death.

A young York motorcyclist died on a country lane when his bike collided head-on with an oncoming car, an inquest has heard.

Peter Orange, 23, of Rosedale Avenue, was riding a friend's bike on the Malton to Buttercrambe road on July 7 this year.

Coroner Michael Oakley said Mr Orange had lost control of the bike and was unable to avoid hitting the approaching car.

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Updated: 12:01 Thursday, November 29, 2001