One person has been killed and several injured, one seriously, after an Arriva train collided with a crane near Zwolle around 9am on Tuesday morning.

Photographs taken at the scene show the train on its side in the field and stretched across the track outside Dalfsen. A local resident told broadcaster Nos that the driver of the train had been killed and this was later confirmed by officials.

According to some reports, the train was not busy and had just 15 passengers when the accident happened.

The crane was crossing the track at a level crossing when it was hit. Eyewitnesses said it waited for one train and then started to cross but was hit by a train coming from the other direction.

Air ambulances

The accident has closed the Zwolle to Emmen railway line and Arriva is using buses to move its passengers.

The emergency services, including several air ambulances, are at the scene to deal with the injured and an official investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched.