Albania hunts 'dangerous' jail-break inmates

A manhunt is under way in Albania after seven prisoners escaped from a high-security jail, officials say.

An interior ministry statement said the men - mostly serving life sentences for murder - were "armed and dangerous".

Road blocks have been set up. Special forces are heading towards the Drenove prison area, some 180km (110 miles) south-east of the capital, Tirana.

One of the men is said to have been captured. Neighbouring Greece and Macedonia have been contacted.

The interior ministry statement names the seven men and says they escaped around 19:30 (18:30 GMT). It gives no details of the jail-break.

However, local media sources say the men managed to disarm the guards before escaping under the cover of darkness. They were said to have commandeered the car of a local village chief.

The interior ministry has set up a crisis group to handle the response.