FOUR young people were lucky to walk away after their Vauxhall Corsa plunged into the clubhouse at Dover Rugby Club at around midnight on Sunday.

The car had travelled up a bank and continued to smash through the clubhouse doors, missing brick walls on either side by inches. The only female in the car suffered minor facial injuries.

Police, Kent Fire and Rescue and the ambulance service attended. One Dover firefighter said: "This was one lucky escape, partly thanks to the airbags. The crash must have been quite spectacular. If the car had been a few inches more either side it would have been much worse."

Club chairman Richard Catt said: "This accident is absolutely staggering. This car, at an undisclosed speed, must have gone up the bank, left the ground and took off and gone straight through the main doors and into the second set of doors. They must be six foot above the normal road surface."

Mr Catt said the car had been removed as soon as possible in case of leaking petrol. The council were called to make the area secure.

Mr Catt was unable to estimate the cost of repairs. Checks were under way to assess any structural damage.

Only 24 hours earlier, an 18th birthday party had been held at the clubhouse.