Canterbury rugby players helped free two people trapped in an overturned car during a dramatic motorway rescue.

The club’s bus stopped at the scene of the accident on the M26 as the team returned to the city following a defeat to league leaders Henley Hawks.

Team physio Kevin Gee and players Royce Cadman and Tom Best – a fireman by day – jumped into action after finding a man and woman trapped in the car.

Mr Gee, who has worked with the club for four years, assessed the pair – who were said to be in their late 40s - before attempting to free them.

The dad-of-two, 48, from Littlebourne, said: “I’m not sure if the car had rolled, but it was in an awful state.

"The inside was all over the place and there were bits hanging off left, right and centre..." club physio Kevin Gee

“The windscreen had been knocked out with the impact so we entered the car through there and managed to open the doors.

“They were trapped upside down in the car, but fortunately their seatbelts were holding them there.”

The group managed to free the man and woman and took them onto the team bus until paramedics arrived.

Mr Gee said: “The man had an injury to his left shoulder, I think, and the woman was complaining of some pain in her spine, but it was nothing serious.

“They were amazingly lucky to be walking wounded. I’m surprised the injuries weren’t any worse given the state of the car.

“The inside was all over the place and there were bits hanging off left, right and centre.”

Team manager Andy Rogers praised the actions of Mr Gee and his players at the “harrowing scene” on Saturday evening.

He said: “The occupants were lucky to get out relatively unscathed as it was a dangerous situation for the rescuers.

“It was dark and our lads were working in the slow lane of the motorway with traffic still passing.

“There was steam coming from what was left of the engine bay and there seemed to me a very real risk of the car catching alight.

"The three of them did us proud."

It was the third time in two years that the club's players have helped in a potential tragedy.

In August they helped lift a Jaguar off an RAC mechanic after it fell on top of him at the club's ground and in May 2013 Mark Jones was brought back to life after suffering a heart attack during a game.