Prison inmates steal knives after being left unattended by workmen in jail

HMP Wayland put on lockdown before blades recovered hours later

The window of a cell at Norwich Prison is seen through coils of razor wire (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images))

Three knives were stolen by prisoners after they were left unattended by workmen at a secure jail.

The blades were taken on Wednesday at HMP Wayland, a category C prison in Norfolk with a capacity of 1,017 inmates.

They were recovered in less than five hours after contractors reported them missing.

HMP Wayland, whose previous inmates include Reggie Kray and Westminster Bridge terrorist Khalid Masood, was reportedly put on lockdown while officers searched for the knives.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: "These items were quickly recovered and prisoners engaging in this kind of behaviour can expect punishment.

"The prison will be reminding its contractors of the importance of securing their equipment."

It comes just a day after new figures suggested self-harm and violence in prisons across England and Wales had hit a record high.

Government data showed the overall number of deaths in prisons increased by 10 per cent over the last year to 325. Of these, 92 were self-inflicted – a 31 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

There were 52,814 self-harm incidents – up nearly a quarter (23 per cent) since the previous year and a new record high, according to the figures.

Assault incidents are up 20 per cent from the previous year at 33,803, of which 3,949 were “serious”, while prisoner-on-prisoner assaults were up 18 per cent at 24,138.

Press Association