A bus carrying British children has overturned on a Belgian highway, killing one person.

A local official said on Sunday that the assistant driver passed away in the crash on Sunday and the principal driver remained in serious condition.

The bus, with 31 children, three teachers and the two drivers on board, veered out of control during the early morning hours on a Belgian highway.

None of the kids or monitors on the bus were seriously injured after the bus overturned and hit an overpass on the A18 (E40) highway in Middelkerke municipality near the Flanders coast, Belga News Agency said.

However, three of the children and two monitors did suffer minor injuries and were transferred to a local hospital for treatment, authorities said.

"All pupils walked off the coach and several pupils and teachers have been taken to local hospitals. One pupil is in intensive care receiving treatment for a head injury," Essex school spokesman, Oli Adams, said.

Adams added, "We have been informed that the driver was killed in the collision and his assistant has been severely injured. Our thoughts are clearly with his family and all the families of the pupils and teachers involved."

The children on the bus were aged between 11 to 13, according to media reports.

The bus belongs to a Northern Ireland company.

Belgian authorities are investigating the incident to establish more details about the crash.

In April 2013, five people, including two children, died and 19 were injured after a bus carrying Russian teenagers crashed outside the city of Antwerp.

Belgium has some of the riskiest roads in Europe, such as N40 and N50 in the west of the country, N4 in the center and R4 is in the north.

XLS/HMV/SS