Migrant crisis: Hundreds force way past Hungarian police

By BBC News

Hundreds of migrants have broken through police lines on Hungary's border with Serbia and are walking towards the capital, Budapest.

The migrants had earlier broken out of a registration camp at Roszke.

About 300 are reported to be walking along a motorway, escorted by police officers.

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that the "breathtaking" flow of migrants into Germany would change the country in the coming years.

Hungary has become a flashpoint as thousands of migrants and refugees from the Middle East and Africa move north to claim asylum in Germany and other countries.

The country's defence minister, Csaba Hende, resigned on Monday, reportedly over problems with the construction of a border fence meant to keep migrants out.

In other developments:

- The UK will accept up to 20,000 refugees from Syria over the next five years,David Cameron has told MPs

- Greece has requested emergency EU assistance to deal with migrants arriving from Turkey

- Spanish media say police fired rubber bullets at migrants in a detention centre in Valencia after about 50 tried to escape

- Police in Macedonia scuffled with thousands of migrants trying to cross into the country from Greece

- UN chief Ban Ki-moon, in an interview with the Guardian, said the UN Security Council was failing Syria because it was divided on the issue

Hungary had previously blocked those heading north, insisting they be registered there first as required under EU rules. But it dropped restrictions on Friday after struggling to cope with thousands camping in Budapest.

About 20,000 migrants made their way from Hungary into Austria and Germany over the weekend.

At Roszke, scuffles erupted as some migrants who had broken out of a holding centre tried to force their way past police. Stones were thrown at officers, who responded with pepper spray.

About 300 managed to run to a nearby motorway, chanting "Germany, Germany". As darkness fell, they were walking, escorted by police, towards Budapest, 170km (105 miles) away.