TWO teenagers died and one was seriously injured when their car span out of control and crashed into a tree at Barham, near Canterbury.

They were travelling along Valley Road towards Canterbury when the accident happened just before 9pm on Wednesday night.

Those who died were the driver, 17-year-old Ricky Jenkins, and Chris Loomer, 16, a front seat passenger in the vehicle. Both came from the Aylesham area.

Kevin Moses, 17, a passenger in the back seat, is said to be in a satisfactory condition in hospital.

Canterbury and Aylesham firefighters were the first on the scene after being alerted by the ambulance service.

Acting sub-officer John Ripley said the two teenagers in the front of the red Peugoet 106 had no pulse but the third, who had been travelling in the back, was still alive.

Mr Ripley said: "He was unconscious when we first arrived but then started showing signs of life. We gave him oxygen until the ambulance crews arrived and took over."

The firefighters then spent 20 minutes cutting the teenager out of the car.

A small knot of villagers turned up to see if they could help, many of them visibly shocked, said Mr Ripley. "It is one of the jobs you dread. It was a horrendous scene and a tragedy. They were 17 years old - what a waste."

Firefighters would be offered counselling by the brigade's critical incident unit, he said.

Valley Road was closed until the early hours of this morning.