Handwritten note seeds hope for trapped China gold miners

At least 12 gold miners trapped hundreds of metres underground in China for more than a week have sent up a note warning some are injured, water surrounds them and they urgently need medicine.

Twenty-two workers became trapped more than 600 metres from the mine's entrance after a blast eight days ago at the mine near Qixia city in eastern Shandong province.

After days without any signs of life, rescuers heard knocking sounds on Sunday afternoon as they drilled through the mine's shaft.

A note was sent up on a line from the depths below saying that at least a dozen of the miners were still alive, but pleading for help as their health and conditions deteriorate.

"We are in urgent need of medicine, painkillers, medical tape, external anti-inflammatory drugs, and three people have high blood pressure," the note read.

The condition of the other ten workers is unknown.

Four people were injured, according to the note which was crumpled, water-stained and scrawled in pencil on pages ripped out of a notebook.

"We wish the rescuers won't stop so that we can still have hope. Thank you," the note read.

The writer of the note asked rescuers to send down some medication from his car, and...