Two Americans who were being held in detention in North Korea, Matthew Todd Miller and Kenneth Bae, have been released and are on their way home.

US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is accompanying the men, the US has confirmed.

Their release follows that of a third American, Jeffrey Fowle, last month.

The US had accused North Korea of using the detained Americans as pawns in a diplomatic game, a charge the North Koreans had denied.

'Hostile acts'

The US department of state said in a statement that it "welcomes the release of US citizens Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller from the DPRK [North Korea], where they have been held for two years and seven months, respectively".

Mr Miller, 24, had been sentenced to six years' hard labour in September for what North Korean state media described as "hostile acts".

He had been in custody since 10 April when, according to North Korean sources, he destroyed his tourist visa and demanded asylum.

Mr Bae had been arrested in November 2012 as he entered the north-eastern port city of Rason, a special economic zone near North Korea's border with China.

He has been described as both a tour operator and Christian missionary. North Korea said he used his tourism business to form groups to overthrow the government.

He was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in May 2013.