At least 24 people, most of them tourists, were injured early on Wednesday when a coach crashed in Barcelona on its way to the airport, the emergency services said.

Three of the injured were in serious condition after the bus crashed at around 3:10 am (0110 GMT) during heavy rain, an emergency services spokesman said.

The coach had left the resort of Lloret de Mar, 75 kilometres (46 miles) north of Barcelona, and was crossing through the city en route to El Prat airport. It was travelling on a ring road which passes close to the waterfront when it crashed.

All of the victims were taken to hospitals across the city.

Among the injured were seven tourists from Britain, four Lithuanians, three from Belarus, two from Germany, two from Ireland and a Pole, a city official told regional public radio.

There were also seven Spaniards on the coach, six of them tourists and the driver, he said.

Fifteen sustained light injuries, while six were said to be in moderate condition.