Jail break out foiled by staff

Prison staff have foiled a plan by two life prisoners to chisel their way out of a cell in Perth jail, one of Scotland's toughest institutions.

Staff discovered a hole, 4ft high and 3ft wide, in a ground floor cell. Concealed by posters it penetrated deep into the wall, stopping just short of external brickwork. The Scottish Prison Service was yesterday trying to establish whether it was intended as a break-out route for a mass escape, or if it was meant to be used just by the two prisoners. Both men, one convicted of murder and the other of rape and culpable homicide, were transferred to segregation cells and faced disciplinary procedures.