This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/manchester/7379659.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Prison guards have 'no control' Prison officers in stab vest call
(about 5 hours later)
The Prison Officers Association (POA) has said its members "no longer feel they have control" over prisons after an officer was stabbed at a jail. Calls are being made for prison officers to be allowed to wear stab-proof vests after a warder was attacked at a Cheshire jail.
A series of what are believed to be racially motivated fights broke out in the exercise yard at HMP Risley near Warrington in Cheshire. Tom Robson, an official from the Prison Officers' Association, demanded action after the incident at HMP Risley.
A guard tried to calm the disturbance on Thursday night but was stabbed. A series of what are believed to be racially-motivated fights broke out in the exercise yard at the jail near Warrington on Thursday night.
The POA said: "The service undertakes an extremely dangerous job. Something needs to be done to put this right." The guard was stabbed as he tried to break up a disturbance.
Colin Moses, National Chairman of the POA, said: "It is clear that officers and other uniformed staff no longer feel they have full control of prisons and prisoners. The Prison Service said three prisoners were taken to hospital after the disturbances.
"Incidents like this re-emphasise the need for prison staff to be empowered. Two of the prisoners remain in hospital being treated for non-life threatening injuries, while one has now returned to HMP Risley.
"The professional men and women of the service undertake an extremely dangerous job which is not fully recognised by those in authority". Staff behaved with total professionalism and ensured the incident did not become more serious Prison Service spokesperson
One prisoner is now back in jail the other two and the prison officer are still recovering in hospital. The prison officer who was hurt has also been released from hospital and is now off-duty.
The police are now investigating the cause of the disturbance. Colin Moses, chairman of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), said: "It is clear that officers and other uniformed staff no longer feel they have full control of prisons and prisoners.
"The service undertakes an extremely dangerous job. Something needs to be done to put this right.
"Incidents like this re-emphasise the need for prison staff to be empowered."
Mr Robson said that because his members did not have access to the kind of items used by police - such as pepper spray and Tasers - they had to rely on their wits.
"Our best weapon within the prison is our mouths and our ability to be able to talk and interact with inmates," said Mr Robson.
"But that's getting more and more difficult as prison officers become more and more thin on the ground."
Cheshire Police are now investigating the cause of the disturbance.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "Staff behaved with total professionalism and ensured the incident did not become more serious."