Four children dead and several people injured as train collides with a school bus in France

At least four children have died and several others were seriously injured when their school coach was 'cut in half' after colliding with a train in the south of France today.

The horrific accident happened close to the town of Perpignan when the vehicle 'was caught between barriers' shortly after 4pm.   A TER commuter train travelling at around 50mph ploughed into the bus, causing carnage among the party from a high school in nearby Millas. 
A witness who was on the train, named as Barbara, said "it was a very violent crash - it seemed as if the train would derail". Casualties are being rushed to hospital in Perpignan. Police and emergency medics are at the scene.

Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne called the crash a "terrible accident" and said on Twitter that she was going to the scene, about 850km (530 miles) south of Paris.