Witnesses have described the heartbreaking moment a young girl has pleaded to hold her mother’s hand after an accident that killed the rest of her family.

The Queensland family were in New Zealand when their hire car swerved into a delivery truck on Monday.

The crash killed 9-year-old Tessa Williams’ two brothers Reuben, 12 and Jasper, 14, as well as her mother’s partner, Stephen Phillips.

Queensland violinist and his two stepsons have been killed in a car crash while holidaying in New Zealand. https://t.co/VYaXjMgOpM #9News

— Nine News Brisbane (@9NewsBrisbane) September 20, 2016

As rescuers worked to free Tessa and her mother Belinda Williams, who was seated in front, the girl pleaded to hold onto her mother’s hand.

Witnesses have told how her brothers’ bodies, who were sitting beside her in the back seat, were covered with dog blankets as rescuers tried to calm her.

Both Tessa and her mother were rushed to Waikato Hospital on the North Island, where they remain in a stable condition.

The family were on holiday in New Zealand for a family reunion.

Boys aged 12 and 14 among those who died in Huntly road crash: https://t.co/52SEokBub9 pic.twitter.com/kR81fFjLJn

— Yahoo New Zealand (@YahooNZ) September 19, 2016

The deaths have deeply impacted the family’s home neighbourhood of Loganlea with neighbours describing them as much-loved.

Talking to The Courier Mail, Billy Azad said the neighbourhood was struggling to come to terms with the news and planned to create a shrine in their memory.

"Losing the three of them at once was a lot to take in," he said.

"We would always have barbecues together. Tessa was always at my place playing with my daughter."

The Queensland Symphony Orchestra have also expressed their sadness at the news, with Stephen a member since 1987.

A first violinist, Stephen, along with Belinda on the viola, had only performed with the orchestra at the concert hall on Saturday night.