At least 15 people have died after a bus crashed in Mexico, including four children, local officials have said.

At least 47 people were being treated for injuries following the incident in the state of Nayarit, on Mexico’s west coast – around 650 miles south of the border with the US.

The incident happened on a rural road on Friday, according to prosecutors.

All those on board were from the city of Leon in the state of Guanajuato, police said.

Pooling resources to rent a bus among friends and family for a visit to the beach is not uncommon in Mexico.

Forty-five of those being treated were hospitalised.

The circumstances which led to the incident are being investigated.

Previous crashes under similar circumstances have been caused by poorly maintained vehicles, bad weather, substandard highways or speeding.