An express train collided with another passenger train in the southern Czech Republic on Thursday, injuring dozens of people, officials said.

The accident took place near the city of Ceske Budejovice at around 6:20 a.m local time (0520GMT).

A total of 57 people suffered mostly light injuries but two were seriously injured, the regional rescue service said.

But a hospital in Ceske Budejovice later said five people it admitted had serious injuries.

The traffic between Ceske Budejovice and the city of Plzen was halted and was not expected to resume until the afternoon.

Authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.