Taxi drivers are to launch a probe into why a cab did not turn up to take murdered Canadian visitor Becky Middleton and friend Jasmine Meens home, it was revealed yesterday.

Ms Middleton, 17, and friend Jasmine Meens tried twice to get a cab before leaving the St. George's home of a Police officer in the early hours of last Wednesday morning.

But they decided to start walking and flag a cab down in the road instead.

The two were sitting on a wall in Mullet Bay Road when they accepted lifts from three men on two motorbikes.

Ms Meens got on a bike with one man and Ms Middleton shared a bike with two other men. Ms Meens got home safely -- Ms Middleton was never seen alive again.

It later emerged the girls had dialled Radio Cabs dispatching service and it was promised a car was on its way -- but it never turned up.

One St. George's man -- who asked not to be named -- said the brutal murder would never have happened if the cab had turned up as arranged.

Another added: "It's always been difficult to get a taxi at night in St.

George's. It's the same for visitors and people who live down there.'' Now Bermuda Taxi Federation chief Joe Brown is to meet with dispatching firms.

He said the Federation had still to check out the details and establish whether a cab had been called.

But Mr. Brown added: "I would find it very disturbing that two young ladies were trying to get a cab and none came.

"These are questions the Federation will be asking -- but we have no control over dispatching companies.

"But if it was a case where a taxi was called we very definitely regret it didn't turn up.'' Mr. Brown said he had himself picked up young women even when they did not have enough cash to pay their fare and arranged to collect the money the next day -- as had other drivers.

He added: "Everyone will learn something from this. It was an unbelievable thing which shocked the whole Island -- it shocked me even more when I heard that they had tried to call a taxi.

"All Bermudians share the suffering as a result of this tragic incident. It touched us all, taxi drivers and ordinary citizens.

"It will certainly wake up the industry so we will answer when somebody calls for a taxi.'' Many UK taxi owners' associations now give automatic priority to late-night calls from women, as do motoring organisations like the RAC and AA.

Taxi drivers in Bermuda are independent operators but they can join a dispatching service, which gives them access to a radio through which fares are called.

But the taxi dispatchers are independent companies and cab drivers have no input into how they are run.

A Police spokesman declined to comment on whether the force would be urging taxi firms and drivers to give women special consideration in the future.

Last night Radio Cabs director Oliver Caisey said he would be checking records for the night of Ms Middleton's death.

He added: "St. George's at that time of night, it's generally very difficult to get a cab.'' Mr. Caisey said that the firm did not operate a priority system for late-night calls.

But he added: "If we think there might be a problem in a particular area, we do everything we can to help.'' MURDER MIU