Sixty-three people have died after several vehicles crashed on a major highway in Uganda, police said on Wednesday.

Two buses travelling in opposite directions "met head on" while trying to overtake two other vehicles – a lorry and a car – on the Kampala-Gulu Highway at 00:15 local time (21:15 GMT), according to the Uganda Police Force.

One of the buses swerved in an attempt to avoid a crash, but in the process caused a "head on and side collision" that led to a "chain reaction" in which other vehicles lost control and overturned.

As well as the fatalities, the passengers of the vehicles involved and several others were injured, police said. An investigation has been launched.

The injured have been taken to hospital in the western town of Kiryandongo.

The highway between the capital Kampala in the south and the northern city of Gulu is one of the country's busiest.

Following the crash, the police urged motorists to avoid "dangerous and careless overtaking".

It said this "remains one of the leading causes of crashes in the country".

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