A WITNESS who saw a car crash into a marquee on Saturday night, injuring 14 people, has described the scene as "like a bomb going off".

A Salisbury man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving after the the incident at Dene Farm in Nether Wallop, which put eight people in hospital.

An eyewitness told the Andover Advertiser the car was stuck outside the marquee and he saw it reverse and go forwards several times before the crash.

He said: "All of a sudden it went straight through the tent.

“It caught the table nearest the entrance way hitting lots of people on the dance floor, and it took another five tables out.

"There was at least 12 people on the ground being treated. People were screaming and my wife saw one chap go straight over the bonnet of the car.

“He wasn't going fast, the car was going around 15 miles per hour; it was not like he roared through.”

The witness said the car was just feet away from hitting the table he was sat on.

Immediately he went outside and saw a lady phoning the police, but she did not know where the event was, so he took the phone off her and gave police directions.

He added: "If you can imagine a bomb going off it was like that, there were tables, chairs, cutlery everywhere there was blood on the floor and people were being covered in blankets.

"There were already doctors at the function treating people."

He said there were at least 350 people at the event.

Hampshire police say they do not have a confirmed breakdown of ages or genders of those injured at this time.

Eight ambulances attended the scene - six from South Central Ambulance Service and two from the South West Ambulance Service.

They also despatched their hazardous area response team and three extra officers to deal with the incident.

Three patients were taken to Salisbury District Hospital, two to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, in Winchester, one to the North Hampshire Hospital, in Basingstoke, and two were taken to Southampton General Hospital.

Officers from Hampshire Police Roads Policing Unit are leading an investigation into the circumstances leading to the collision.

They have been speaking with many of those attending the private party.

Anyone with information which could assist the investigation should call 101.