TWO TEENAGE girls were plucked to safety after their car plunged over a harbour wall into the sea.

An unnamed passer-by rescued one of the young women, while fire fighters saved the other. Both teenagers had managed to scramble free of the car as it sank in the 15 metre deep pool at Hartlepool Marina.

The girls' car had careered across the roadway from outside the Old West Quay Pub, on Maritime Avenue, mounted a kerb, slewed 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 and here in the North-East the water is always cold. 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.''

He said: "We got a call at 20 past one this morning that a car had gone into the Marina. When we got there the car was submerged and there were two women in the water.

"A passer-by had rescued one woman after managing to scramble down the quayside. Having rescued her he had the presence of mind to telephone us on 999, when there was still one woman in the water. We put a ladder down and fire fighters went down the ladder and grabbed hold of her.''

Mr Rowland added: "They were in shock. We put them in blankets and gave them oxygen and we passed them on to the paramedics. The police are looking into it.''

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "We were alerted at 1.20am this morning a vehicle had gone into the Marina near the West Quay Club. A Ford Ka had gone into the marina and the two occupants had gone in the water.

"The women aged 18 and the other 19 were not injured but were taken to Hartlepool General Hospital. They were released and are currently being held (by police) on suspicion of motoring offences. It could have ended in tragedy.''