An experienced biker on a day out with friends may have misjudged a bend on Denbigh Moors, an inquest heard.

Thomas Reddock, 70, was thrown from his Honda 600cc machine and under an oncoming car. He suffered major chest and abdominal injuries and was certified dead at the scene.

The tragedy occurred on August 18 last year as Mr Reddock and two friends, Arthur Molyneux and Michael Crilly, were returning home to Liverpool from a ride in North Wales.

They left Blaenau Ffestiniog when it started raining heavily and decided to return over Denbigh Moors on the A543.

Mr Crilly, who knew the route better than the others, was leading, with Mr Reddock behind him.

Learner-driver Joshua Parry was approaching a right-hand bend near Llyn Bran at about 35mph from the Denbigh direction when he saw the back of Mr Reddock's oncoming machine appear to "kick out" and slew across the white line. He estimated the bike's speed at 40mph.

Mr Reddock, a former council worker of Miranda Close, Kirkdale, Liverpool, was thrown off and both he and his machine hit Mr Parry's Peugeot 206.

Mr Parry's friend and experienced driver William Salter told police that Mr Parry had done everything he could, braking and swerving to the left, but could not avoid the collision.

Police collision investigator PC Richard Witham said neither vehicle had a mechanical fault which could have been responsible and road conditions were good, so the most likely cause was that Mr Reddock had tried to correct himself after misjudging the severity of the bend.

"There was nothing more Mr Parry could have done," he said.

John Gittins, coroner for North Wales East and Central, recorded a conclusion of death in a road traffic collision.