A MOTORCYCLIST who died after crashing his machine was just over the drink-drive limit at the time of the accident, an inquest heard this week.

Clive Samways, of Shedfield, near Wickham, had drunk two pints of strong lager before he died on August 30.

His body was found in a ditch by a delivery driver the following morning. The 36-year-old had apparently veered into the ditch on his Yamaha bike after failing to negotiate a bend in Budden's Lane near Wickham.

A post mortem found that he suffered injuries to his heart on impact with a concrete drain in the ditch.

The inquest was told that there was no evidence of braking on the road and no sign of involvement of any other vehicle.

Crash investigator Paul Douglass added that the road was unlit and had worn central markings. It was also a blind bend.

Coroner Grahame Short concluded a verdict of accidental death as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. He added: "The main fact I must take into account is the fact that his blood- alcohol level was at 91mg when the legal limit is 80mg. It was only just over the limit but sufficient to affect the judgement of someone riding a bike in those conditions."