An inmate who broke out of prison only to be captured last year has escaped from prison again. Local police are searching for the escapee.

The inmate Liu Hong escaped from a prison in Changde city of Hunan province last Sunday. Prison guards found a hole in his cell, which he apparently dug to escape. Villagers in the surrounding area say they have seen someone resembling Liu around.

Hundreds of police have been deployed across the region searching for him. Liu was put in prison for stealing. By breaking out of prison last year his sentence was prolonged an additional 20 years.