Escaped prisoner was left in charge of jail

A prisoner has escaped from a small jail in Brazil after a policeman left him in charge while he popped out for lunch.

The other inmates of the prison in Mara-Canau said the policeman regularly left the prison in the hands of the prisoner, known as Cristiano.

They said the policeman, Jose Wilton de Lima, had grown to really trust the prisoner, reports Jornal da Globo.

But finally Cristiano took advantage of the the policeman's lunch break by freeing two other inmates and driving off in his police car.

Mr Lima, who has been dismissed from his job, said: "I guess I mixed up trust with freedom. I believed he had changed."

The prisoners are still at large.