A MAN aged 20 died when a car ripped through three gardens and crashed into two parked cars.

The man who died was a back seat passenger in a Rover car which was involved in a collision with a Lexus car before it demolished a garden fence, knocked down a tree, and cut a swathe through shrubs and flower borders before coming to rest against a house in Rainham.

Clinton Adamek, whose house was hit by the car, said: "I was inside when I heard a whoosh of gravel and then a bang.

"It hit a Mercedes which was parked in the front, and knocked it into an Audi, which was also badly damaged. But at least I am not mourning the loss of a son, which one family is facing."

Maidstone Road was closed off between Fair-view Avenue and Georgian Way after the accident last Thursday.

The car, which contained a driver and four passengers, wrecked a fence in front of the home of Kenneth Billing before smashing through the gardens.

"It knocked the concrete posts into next door along with a tree that was completely demolished. But that cushioned the impact to some extent," he said. "If the car had smashed into one of the bigger trees on the roadside, no one would have got out alive."

Witnesses said several police cars attended the crash together with two ambulances, and fire and rescue services from Medway and Strood.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash to contact them on 01622 600970.

Officers have arrested the drivers of two cars on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. They are said to be local men aged 20 and 28 and were released on bail.