Speeding may have contributed to the deaths of two young motorcycle riders who were killed in a head-on collision last September, an inquest was told yesterday.

The inquest into the deaths of Mr. Jeffrey Stanfield Evans, 17, and Mr. Steven Bernell Smith, also 17, began yesterday in Magistrates' Court.

Numerous witnesses told how they saw Mr. Smith cross into the opposite lane as he went round a corner on Palmetto Road, Devonshire. Minutes later they heard the crash as he collided with his former Berkeley Institute schoolmate.

Earlier in the inquest, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital pathologist Dr. John Winwick told Coroner, the Wor. Charles-Etta Simmons that Mr. Evans and Mr.

Smith had been found face down in the road, with large facial lacerations and open skull fractures.

A lab report revealed minute traces of cannabis in their urine, but Dr.

Winwick said this did not indicate recent use of the drug.

An autopsy report on Mr. Evans stated he had facial and skull fractures, with brain haemorrhaging and bruising. Dr. Winwick said this was the cause of death.

Dr. Winwick said Mr. Smith died from skull fractures and brain haemorrhaging as well, and that his left wrist was also dislocated.

It was thought the facial fractures were caused by both men's helmets.

Witness Mr. George Peets told the court that he had spent the day with Mr.

Evans, of Frog Lane, Devonshire, and had attended a party with him at Till's Hill.

He saw Mr. Evans speeding in the vicinity of the Kandy Korner that night at about 45-50 mph, and heard a loud bang shortly after.

"I ran up the street and saw Jeffrey and Steven lying in the road.'' Ms Kamika Burgess said she attended the same party at Till's Hill that night, when she later saw three men racing up and down Palmetto Road. She said Mr.

Evans was on a Yamaha DT racing at about 35-40 mph. She then heard a loud bang and ran to the scene, where she saw both men lying in the road.

Mr. Jason Coco said that he had lent Evans the bike to ride. Shortly afterward he heard the crash.

He said: "A friend and I were the first people at the scene. I saw Evans in the road with his leg bent up over his head. The other guy was lying there, but I thought that they were only unconscious.

"I went to move the bike from Evans, because I thought it would be in the way of the ambulance, but a man warned me not to.'' Mr. Coco testified he did not see Evans racing up and down the road.

Mr. Kenmarlin Zuill said he saw Mr. Smith, who was from Devonshire, and some other young men racing along Palmetto Road. He said he suddenly saw Smith cross over to the wrong side of the road, and collide head-on with Evans.

Mr. Aaron Pace saw Mr. Smith and Mr. Evans, along with another friend, sitting on the sidewalk beside Roberts Avenue.

Mr. Smith gestured to him to travel west along Palmetto Road. He said that he was not sure if that was an invitation to race, abut he didn't respond because he had heard that Mr. Smith had a "kit'' fitted to his motorcycle's engine.

Mr. Pace said as he rode on, Mr. Smith passed him just before Devonshire Rec Club. He estimated Mr. Smith was going at about 60 mph.

He said that he saw Smith dip over to his opposite lane and disappear around the corner. Then he heard a loud crash.

The inquest continues today.