BERLIN (AFP) - At least nine people were killed and dozens hurt on Saturday, police said, as a coach carrying Polish holidaymakers collided with another coach near the eastern German city of Dresden.

The crash happened in the early hours of Saturday morning on the A4 motorway that links Poland and Germany. People travelling in both coaches were feared dead and there were several serious injuries, according to the German authorities.

According to early indications, the Polish coach crashed into another bus in front of it, skidding across the motorway and then collided with a vehicle travelling in the other direction.

Police blocked the motorway in both directions but could not say how long the rescue and clean-up operation was likely to take.