Mystery of motorbike death crash

The inquest at Flint Magistrates' Court heard a tyre was under inflated

It may never be known what caused a motorbike to crash, killing its pillion passenger, an inquest has heard.

Pamela Singleton-Clarke, 40, from Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, died after her partner Anthony Price lost control of his Suzuki on the A55 in Flintshire.

Mr Price, of Ellesmere Port, had traces of crack cocaine in his blood and had been fined £180 after admitting driving without due care and attention.

North east Wales coroner John Hughes recorded a verdict of accidental death.

The inquest in Flint heard how tests suggested Mr Price had taken crack cocaine between 12 and 24 hours before the incident.

His partner Miss Singleton-Price had also taken the drug in the days before the incident and had battled with drugs in the past.

Police examinations concluded that the motorbike's rear tyre was "grossly under inflated" and may have been a contributing factor as Mr Price negotiated a sharp bend on the A55 near Ewloe, Flintshire.

It seems to me we will never know the absolute truth as to why that vehicle lost control John Hughes, coroner

The court heard Mr Price claimed in interview he had checked the tyres before the journey and found them to be fine.

It was also likely he was driving too fast, the court heard, although there were no eye-witnesses to the actual crash.

The inquest was told that in interviews Mr Price claimed Miss Singleton-Clarke - who was riding pillion for the first time - may have accidentally unbalanced the bike.

She suffered horrific injuries including a severed leg when she hit the road's safety barrier and would have died almost instantly.

Mr Hughes said he was "far from convinced" by Mr Price's claims.

He said: "We have a man who by his own admission had taken drugs at a time sufficiently proximate to the incident to be relevant."

But recording a verdict of accidental death, he added: "It seems to me we will never know the absolute truth as to why that vehicle lost control."

The inquest heard how Mr Price was fined £180 with £15 costs after admitting driving without due care and attention at a magistrates hearing in March.

He must also re-take his test.