Brown calls on pirates to release hostages

Prime Minister Gordon Brown appealed today for the release of a British couple being held hostage by Somali pirates.

And Foreign Secretary David Miliband pledged that the UK would use "all the mechanisms at our disposal" to secure their safe return.

Mr Brown said at a press conference following the EU summit: "Piracy and the taking of hostages is unacceptable in any circumstances.

"We call on those people who have taken the British citizens hostage to release them as soon as possible.

"They should abide by international law. They should release the hostages and the piracy should be brought to an end."

Mr Miliband said the UK condemned the action "in the strongest possible terms".

"We will be using all the mechanisms at our disposal to try to ensure that there is the safe return of these two British hostages," he said.