Two children killed in breaktime crush at toilet in Chinese primary school

Pupils crowded into toilet during morning break when other children began pushing in, state media reported

Mourners light candles in the shape of a heart at a makeshift memorial at the site of a stampede on 1 January, 2015 (Getty)

Two children have been killed and 20 others seriously hurt during a stampede at a primary school in China, according to state media.

The Xinhua news agency said pupils were crowded into a toilet during a morning break on Wednesday when other children began pushing their way in.

Those injured have been taken to hospital, where some are reported to be in a serious condition.

An investigation has now been launched into what caused the tragedy at Number Three Experimental Primary School in Puyang county, Henan province.

Overcrowding and low-quality buildings have been blamed for past crushing deaths and injuries at Chinese schools.

Other safety problems have included the use of running tracks made from scrap that released noxious fumes that made children ill.

China's deadliest stampede incident in recent years came during new year festivities on 1 January 2015, when 36 people died in a crush along Shanghai's riverfront esplanade.

Six children died and 25 were injured in a stampede on a school staircase in South West China in 2014.

The Associated Press contributed to this report