Three small children who suffered serious burn injuries in an explosion at their West Cork home are being treated in hospital this morning.

The five-month-old twin babies and an 18-month-old toddler were airlifted to Cork University Hospital last night.

The children received serious burns to their bodies when a petrol canister exploded at their home in Drinagh at 6.30pm yesterday evening

It is believed the twins - a boy and a girl - were in the room at the time and were caught in the blast along with their older sibling.

The children's parents - who are in their 20s - raised the alarm and HSE paramedics raced to the scene.

All three were airlifted to Cork University Hospital by an Irish Coast Guard helicopter, which landed in a field near the family home.

The children are said to be in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Meanwhile, the house has been sealed off and technical experts are due to carry out a forensic examination to try and establish what exactly caused the explosion.