A Texan father and his 11-year-old son have been named as being among the victims of last night's Nice attack.

A total of 84 people are believed to have died when a terrorist ploughed through crowds around the city's famed promenade. 

Numerous families had gathered in the area to celebrate Bastille Day and enjoy music, entertainment and fireworks. 

Sean Copeland and his 11-year-old son Brodie hailed from the Austin area of Texas in the US and had been holidaying on the French Riviera.

"By now many of you have heard about the 80 people that have died in nice, France today from a terrorist attack driving through a parade," Haley Copeland posted on Facebook early this morning, reports the New York Daily News.

"Two of those 80 people were American and those 2 people happen to be uncle Sean and 11 year old cousin Brodie."

President Francois Hollande confirmed that several children were among the dead, with 54 more youngsters being injured – some critically. 

During a 30-minute killing spree, a 31-year-old French-Tunisian man, who Mail Online says was known to police, used a 25-tonne lorry to mount pavements at high-speed  

Mail Online further reports that young girls and boys could last night be seen lying dead on the road covered in a blankets with their dolls and buggies still next to them.