TWO people climbed on to the roof of their car after it careered into the sea in the early hours.

The pair were rescued by Lymington lifeboat, which went alongside the Nissan Primera, enabling the pair to jump off the vehicle and scramble into the boat.

Emergency services told the Daily Echo that the car swerved to avoid a badger at the end of Tanners Lane in Lymington and ended up on marshland.

A coastguard spokesman said the driver swerved to avoid a badger at the end of Tanners Lane, which resulted in the vehicle ending up on marshland."

Coastguards, RNLI members and police officers were called to the scene just after 3.30am after the occupants clambered on to the car's roof and raised the alarm.

A Lymington lifeboat spokesman said the vehicle was about 30 or 40 metres from shore.

A police spokesman added: "We were called at 3.36am to reports of a car in the water at the end of Tanners Lane.

"The occupants were on the vehicle's roof. We worked with coastguard and they were taken to shore. There were no injuries."