A West Sussex teenager saved her little sister from being crushed by a car in their own home.

Nicky Starkey, 16, and eight-year-old Paige were on the sofa in the front room of their house in Chichester Road, Bognor, just before 5.30pm yesterday.

Hearing a loud crash, Nicky looked out of the window and was horrified to see a car reversing speedily towards them.

She grabbed little Paige and jumped off the sofa before the vehicle smashed through the front of the house.

Nicky, who is taking a hairdressing and beauty therapy course at Chichester College of Arts, Science and Technology, said: "The sound outside had just woken me up so I didn't have time to think.

"I grabbed Paige and threw her off the sofa. I have never moved so fast in my life."

The runaway car struck two other vehicles and ran over a 4ft concrete post before it crashed into the house.

The impact wrecked the front room and both girls could have been seriously injured.

Mum Su Starkey, 40, manager of a mental health care home in Aldwick, returned from work to be greeted by the nightmare scene.

She said: "I could not believe what I saw and when I heard what happened with the girls I felt even worse.

"The car actually went on to hit the sofa. I don't want to think about what could have happened if it wasn't for Nicky."

Both girls were badly shaken by their lucky escape.

Nicky said: "I couldn't stop laughing at first, it was just too amazing for words. But Paige was terrified by it all."

Ms Starkey added: "The girls are still in a bit of state at the moment and Paige just doesn't want to go back into the house.

"Nicky was an absolute hero and there just aren't the words to express how I fell about her at the moment. I am a trained nurse so I have sat both girls down to talk to them about what happened.

"But they are both still traumatised and my neighbour said he could hear them screaming from next door when it happened."

The family, also including Laura, 14, and nine-year-old Georgina, are staying with friends until builders can assess the structural damage to the house.

Ms Starkey was also full of praise for her neighbours.

She said: "I have not had much contact with people living around here but I have to say they were brilliant.

"They gave us cups of tea and kept everyone's spirits high."

Police said a woman had been arrested at the scene in connection with a driving offence.