Prison officer held hostage in jail

An auxiliary prison officer was last night being held hostage at knifepoint by two inmates at top-security Whitemoor jail - the scene of the IRA break-out two years ago.

The officer was seized at about midday as he patrolled the Cambridgeshire jail and late last night the prison remained on a state of alert as negotiators sought his freedom.

The identity of the two prisoners is not being released, but one of the prisoners is said to be a high-risk category A inmate