Three people have been killed in a high-speed train crash in eastern Belgium.

A passenger train slammed into the back of a freight train in the town of Hermalle-Sous-Huy on Sunday around an hour before midnight local time, Belgian officials said.

Nine passengers were injured with some described as being in a critical condition, and a further 27 people were being cared for.

The collision derailed two of the passenger train's six carriages, according to a statement from Belgian railways SNCB.

The collision was "very violent" according to Belgian news agency Belga.

The Mayor of Saint-Georges-sur-Meuse, Francis Dejon, who has been following rescue operations, said:

Local emergency services and reinforcements from the nearest city of Liege were at the site of the crash, and a crisis centre has been set up at the scene of the accident.