A BRAVE coastguard officer has told how he watched in horror as two girls spun out of control and crashed their car into an icy marina.

Paul Wheeler, 47, was walking home from work when he witnessed the Ford Ka, containing two friends, smash through a steel barrier.

Within seconds, the vehicle was submerged in the murky water at Hartlepool Marina, Teesside.

Mr Wheeler, an auxiliary member of the coastguard, said it was instinct that made him dash to the water's edge and pull the girls from the water.

"They were hysterical. I was about 20 metres away when I saw the car speed through the barrier and go over the edge," said Mr Wheeler.

"I climbed down on to a ledge and the passenger got out first, she was swimming quite strongly towards the side.

"The driver was slower, she was hysterical so I got in the water, up to my waist, and dragged her out.

"They wouldn't have lasted much longer - the water was so cold."

The drama took place in the early hours of Friday.

Mr Wheeler, who works in a department store, said the girls had climbed out of the car windows seconds before it sank 15 metres to the marina floor.

He dialled 999 as he dashed to the scene.

The car careered across the roadway from outside the Old West Quay pub, in Maritime Avenue, mounted a kerb, skidded over a grass verge and bumped over ornamental rocks before dropping into the marina.

Hartlepool fire station officer Neil Rowland said: "They were very lucky, it was quite cold last night.

"Being young women, they have been fit and agile enough to scramble out of the car. They have been lucky and the episode has ended happily with their survival."

After being wrapped in blankets and given oxygen, the girls, aged 18 and 19, were taken to hospital.

Once given the all-clear they were arrested by police on suspicion of motoring offences.

Cleveland Police said last night two teenagers had been released on police bail pending further inquiries.