A 23-year-old Irish backpacker has been killed in a road accident in Australia.

Donal Bolton died after an out-of-control car ploughed into him and his girlfriend as he sat on a bench in the Queensland resort town of Cairns.

It is understood the Offaly man had only been in the area one night.

Mr Bolton's 22-year-old girlfriend suffered minor injuries and was taken to Cairns Base Hospital.