POLICE are hunting a gang who pushed a stolen car down an embankment towards rail tracks used by high-speed Eurostar trains.

The vehicle ended up less than two metres from the line at Meopham, near Gravesend at around 6pm on Sunday.

Detectives from the British Transport Police (BTP) say if the car had gone onto the line and been hit the result could have been disastrous. The gang sawed through a locked padlock on a seven feet high security gate before deliberately pushing the vehicle down the embankment towards the track.

No-one was injured in the incident and no rail services on the line were disrupted. The car has been removed and is being forensically examined by scenes of crime officers.

A BTP spokesman said: “We would like to speak to anyone in the area at the time who may have witnessed this deliberate act."

Anyone with information is asked to telephone the BTP on 0800 404040 or contact their local police station.