Hundreds of Filipinos flee erupting volcano

Hundreds of people have fled their homes in central Philippines after a volcano spewed a 1.2-mile-high column of ash, blanketing several villages.

Soldiers were patrolling a 2.5-mile danger zone around the crater of Mt Bulusan yesterday, one of the country's most active volcanoes. The army moved about 2,000 people to safety.

The Philippines Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology said Mt Bulusan started spewing ash in November 2010.