Firefighters had to free the householders from the rubble of their home after the accident on the A259 King Offa Way, in Bexhill, East Sussex.

The driver, a 25-year-old man from Eastbourne, died from his injuries at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings an hour after the accident.

He has not yet been identified by Sussex Police.

This was a tragic loss of young life Sgt Kevin Donovan

Police said the motorist, who was in a Vauxhall Astra, had been driving westwards when his car left the road, went down a bank and overturned hitting the house.

The two people in the property were also hurt in the incident.

A 46-year-old woman was trapped under masonry and had to be released by the fire brigade. She suffered a fractured rib.

A 46-year-old man suffered a suspected broken leg.

Police said the house was extensively damaged and has been declared by the buildings inspector to be unsafe to live in.

Neighbour hears thud

The road was closed for five hours while the clean-up operation and investigation was carried out.

Several items of street furniture were demolished and the collision fused a section of street lighting.

A man living close to the scene of the accident said he heard a huge thud as the car hit the house.

He said: "The car must have come off the road and gone over a bank before going into a group of houses that sit below the level of the main road.

Something of a miracle

"The people were still in the house in their front room and everything has just come down on top of them."

Sergeant Kevin Donovan, investigating officer, said: "This was a tragic loss of a young life. It must have been a terrifying experience for the people in the house to have a vehicle suddenly smash into their front room with absolutely no warning.

"It is something of a miracle that they were not more seriously hurt."

A spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire Brigade said: "The house was very badly damaged and they had to shore up the doors and everything to get the occupants out because the side wall was in danger of collapse."

Anyone who witnessed the accident is urged to contact the police.