Ten people have been killed and dozens more hurt in a head-on collision involving two passenger trains in southern Italy, BBC reports.

The two trains were on a single-track line at the time of the crash, between the coastal towns of Bari and Barletta.

Emergency services are trying to free passengers from the wrecked carriages near the town of Andria."I think there are many dead," local fire brigade commander Riccardo Zingaro said.