A CAR was used as a battering ram early today to smash rear service doors at Sittingbourne's Coniston Hotel which the Home Office wants to turn into an induction centre for asylum seekers.

Police were called to the hotel in London Road soon after 4am after reports of a disturbance in the rear car park. The car, a Peugeot, was also driven into two greenhouses at the hotel.

In what is believed to be a linked incident, the car was also driven into the main public entrance of the town's police station, smashing the glass front doors.

A 20-year-old Sittingbourne man was arrested at the Coniston Hotel, according to firefighters, on suspicion of causing criminal damage and of drink-driving.

The fire brigade had been called to the scene by police who believed they saw smoke coming from the car but that turned out to be steam.

A fire brigade spokesman said the Coniston suffered substantial damage to its rear doors. Staff at the hotel refused to comment.

Earlier this week hundreds of residents of the town took part in noisy but peaceful demonstrations about the plan to turn the hotel into an asylum seekers' induction centre.

Campaigners have so far collected more than 5,000 signatures against the proposal.