Around fifty people have been injured in a train crash near the German city of Dusseldorf. 

A regional express train carrying passengers collided with a freight train in the town of Meerbusch.

The state-run Deutsche Bahn rail operator said the crash occurred at around 6:30pm Irish time. 

Zusammenstoß zwischen Regionalexpress RE7 von National Express und Güterzug von DB Cargo auf der Strecke Krefeld-Neuss in NRW. Mehrere Verletzte. Informationen hier: https://t.co/fHWLNpkYLd

— Deutsche Bahn AG (@DB_Presse) December 5, 2017

The collision involved a passenger train and a freight train – however it is not known what caused the accident. 

The rail operator said it was on-site alongside the relevant authorities and emergency services to assist those affected and help clarify the situation.

The train reportedly had around 100 passengers on board.