Two trains have crashed head on leaving at least 10 dead in Italy, the fire brigade said.

Dozens were also injured in the crash, which happened on a single stretch of track between the towns of Corato and Andria, police said.

An aerial image reportedly showed train carriages were smashed and crumpled by the head-on collision, with debris spread out on either side of the track.

The local newspaper reported that among those rescued was a small child who was taken to hospital in a helicopter.

No immediate reason was given for the crash, which happened in the middle of the countryside, north of the city of Bari in the heel of Italy.