Two eight-year-old boys were killed and another three children badly hurt after a car crashed in to a classroom in Sydney on Tuesday, Australian police said.

A sports utility vehicle smashed through the wooden wall of the school in Sydney's west around 9.45am (2245 GMT Monday), where 24 primary-age children were in class with their teacher, police said in a statement.

Five children were rushed to hospital, including the two deceased boys. Three girls, two aged eight and another aged nine, remained in hospital in a serious or stable condition. Another 16 children and their teacher were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Police said the driver was a 52-year-old woman who was not hurt but was taken to hospital for blood and urine tests as part of the crash investigation.

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