Four children have been killed in a crash between a train and a school bus in southern France.

The country's interior ministry confirmed that 19 people had been hurt in the crash, seven of who were seriously injured.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne are travelling to the site of the crash near to the town of Perpignan, around 20 miles north of France's border with Spain.

Ms Borne described the crash as a "terrible accident" and said on Twitter that she was heading immediately to the scene.

The crash happened at around 4pm local time (3pm GMT) as the children were being taken home at the end of school.

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: "All my thoughts go to the victims of this terrible accident and their families. The government is fully mobilised to give them emergency help."

"All emergency services have been mobilised and a crisis coordination unit set up," an official at the local Millas townhall said.

Some 70 firefighters have been sent to the site of the crash, along with 10 ambulances and four helicopters.

Video on social media showed a long line of ambulances and emergency services vehicles near the crossing where the crash happened.