Eight people have been killed and as many as 100 injured following the head on collision of two passenger trains in Germany.

Up to 40 of those injured are believed to be in a critical condition following the accident near Bad Aibling, a spa town approximately 40 miles south-east of Munich, Bavaria.

One of the trains was derailed during the crash and several carriages were overturned.

The cause of the incident, which occurred at approximately 06:00 local time, is not year known.

Regional train company Meridian confirmed “a tragic accident” had occurred on a single-track route between Rosenheim and Holzkirchen, close to the border with Austria.

Roads around the scene have been closed and the railway line between Holzkirchen and Rosenheim is closed.