Police called to Lewes Prison after multiple prisoners fall ill with ‘food poisoning’

Sussex Police assisted ambulance service with incident at HMP Lewis, a category B jail near Brighton, in East Sussex

Emergency personnel outside HMP Lewes after several prisoners are believed to have become unwell after getting food poisoning (Anahita Hossein-Pour/PA Wire)

Several prisoners are believed to have become unwell after getting food poisoning at Lewes prison.

Some of the inmates were taken to hospital for treatment in the incident at the category B jail near Brighton, in East Sussex, on Thursday.

Around six people are thought to be unwell but the total number of people affected is yet to be confirmed.

The prisoners are all thought to have eaten the same meal and no-one is considered to be in a life-threatening condition or seriously ill, according to officials.

HMP Lewes is not in lockdown and it is understood the incident is not at this time believed to be related to drugs.

Nearby Eastbourne District General Hospital was temporarily “stood up to potentially receive casualties”, but has since been stood down, a spokesperson said.

The prisoners are all thought to have eaten the same meal (Anahita Hossein-Pour/PA Wire)

In a short statement, Sussex Police confirmed it was assisting the ambulance service following the report of a medical incident at the prison at around 12.30pm.

A spokesperson for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service also confirmed it had been called to assist and was “currently working with other agencies and specialist teams”.

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said: “Earlier today, Eastbourne District General Hospital was stood up to potentially receive casualties following an incident at HMP Lewes.

“We have now been stood down. Care at the hospital has not been affected, and continues to operate as usual.”