Five officers injured in prison riots

More than 100 inmates rioted at two young offenders' institutions yesterday. Officers in riot gear were needed to restore order after at least five officers were injured, including a woman who suffered a fractured jaw, in the disturbances in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and Woodbridge, Suffolk, which started on Tuesday night. About 60 offenders aged between 15 and 18 refused to return to their cells at Warren Hill, in Woodbridge, Suffolk, the Prison Service said.

Officers in riot gear, known as Prison Service Tornado response teams, entered the prison at 5.40am and the situation is now under control. The riot was prompted when a number of inmates were prevented from having free and unfettered access to the telephone and leisure facilities following incidents of alleged bullying of other juveniles, the Prison Officers Association said.

In the unrelated incident at Moorland prison in Hatfield Woodhouse, Doncaster, more than 40 young offenders refused to return to their cells after a fight broke out at about 7pm on Tuesday.

Tornado response teams were called in at about 1am. Three members of staff were assaulted and significant damage was caused to the recreation area and cells.