The first of 33 Chilean miners trapped for 69 days half a mile underground have been brought to the surface at the San Jose mine.

There were scenes of wild jubilation as the miners emerged one-by-one from the torpedo-shaped pod bringing them to safety.

The second man to reach the surface, an electrical specialist Mario Sepulveda - who has acted as a spokesman for the miners - praised all those involved in the rescue.

"It's incredible to think that we were 700 metres underground, and they have been able to rescue us," he said. "We have put all our heart into this - that goes with the territory, because we are miners, and we are strong people, but everything else is due to the professionals."

The BBC's Caroline Hawley reports on a remarkable and complex rescue.

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