A crash between a tanker and a lorry on a motorway in northern Italy has left six people dead.

There were two children among the fatalities from the crash on Tuesday on the motorway between the city of Brescia and the town of Manerbio, ANSA news agency reported.

The tanker burst into flames after crashing with the lorry, setting fire to other vehicles, including one car with a family of five inside it, La Repubblica newspaper reported.

The sixth victim was the driver of the tanker, the report said.

A large cloud of smoke was hanging over the site of the crash.

The motorway was closed in both directions after the crash.