At least 60 people were killed on Friday in a head-on collision between two buses in southern Ghana, police said.

The crash happened at about 2:00 am (0200 GMT) in the Bono East region, some 430 kilometers (270 miles) by road north of the capital, Accra.

"The vehicles were travelling in separate directions when the collision occurred," police commander Joseph Antwi Gyawu told AFP.

"At least 60 people have been confirmed dead and one of the buses caught fire with the other seriously mangled," he added.

The buses were each carrying about 50 passengers at the time of the crash.

Emergency services were at the scene, including firefighters to put out the blazing vehicles.

Kwame Arhin, a doctor at the Kintampo Government Hospital, said 28 people were being treated for injuries.

"Seven out of the 28 passengers who were rushed here are in critical condition," Arhin told AFP.

"We have referred four. Most of them had head injuries. I've seen a few being taken to the morgue," he added.