250 prisoners moved after jail hit by riots

One prisoner was seriously injured in the latest disturbance at Moorland Prison, near Doncaster, as up to 100 inmates went on the rampage, throwing objects and smashing up a wing. The violence erupted in an adult unit at about 6.30pm on Thursday and lasted for almost seven hours before officers in riot gear forced the prisoners to surrender.

It followed two nights of trouble at a young offender institution on the site which resulted in three members of staff being injured, including a woman officer who suffered a fractured jaw.

Prisoners aged 18 to 21, many of whom are gang members, started fires, smashed glass and overturned pool tables after prison officers tried to stop inmates attacking another juvenile.

The Prison Service confirmed 166 prisoners were transferred from Moorland Thursday, in addition to 86 inmates who were moved after Wednesday's riot.

A further 48 prisoners were transferred on Wednesday from Warren Hill young offenders' institution in Suffolk, which was damaged when about 60 inmates aged 15 to 18 rioted.

Prison Service chief executive Michael Spurr said: "We are now conducting a high-level investigation into these events. Staff have done a magnificent job over the past 72 hours. "We have deployed additional staff to Moorland to ensure stability at the prison.

"We have a good record of maintaining order and security in our prisons and are therefore taking these incidents extremely seriously in order to learn lessons."

A spokesman for the Prison Officers Association, Glyn Travis, said all prisoners in Moorland's adult wing, up to 100 inmates, were involved in the riot.

Mr Travis said: "Apparently the juveniles and young offenders were locked up and the adults were allowed to come out, and when they refused to go back to their cells it all kicked off.

"It's being brought under control by prison staff at present but the situation is still very volatile, and we have no idea how long it will take to get under control. It is an extremely dangerous situation for staff and prisoners alike."

The review was welcomed by the Prison Reform Trust, which campaigns for safer conditions in Britain's jails. The charity's director, Juliet Lyon, said: "No one wins from a prison riot. Disturbances in a jail are dangerous and damaging for prisoners and staff, distressing for families outside and costly to repair. "The Prison Service is our least visible, most neglected public service but it has gained worldwide respect for the safety and security of its establishments. "A thoroughgoing transparent investigation is vital to determine what went wrong and how to put things right."

Another prison reform charity warned that funding cuts meant similar disturbances could break out at other young offenders' institutions.

Andrew Neilson, assistant director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "We went to young offenders' institutions to interview young men about their experiences and one of the issues they raised was the high ratio of prisoners to staff – one member of staff for every 20 young men.

"As there is talk of a further 20 per cent cut in frontline staff in the Prison Service, problems like this could become more common."

The last inspection of Moorland, carried out in October 2008, found that "neither the physical environment nor staff-prisoner relationships were sufficiently good".

A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "The investigation is in the early stages and at this time officers are working closely with the prison to identify what offences have been committed."

It's being brought under control by prison staff at present but the situation is still very volatile...