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| Specialist officers tackle Ford open prison riot | Specialist officers tackle Ford open prison riot |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Specialist prison guards in body armour have been tackling rioting inmates at an open jail in West Sussex. | Specialist prison guards in body armour have been tackling rioting inmates at an open jail in West Sussex. |
| Firefighters were also sent to HMP Ford after 40 prisoners smashed windows and started blazes at around midnight. | Firefighters were also sent to HMP Ford after 40 prisoners smashed windows and started blazes at around midnight. |
| At least two fire engines and 140 prison staff are on the site near Arundel after flames spread from one block to another. | |
| The Prison Officers' Association said the violence began after staff tried to breathalyse some of the 200 prisoners. | The Prison Officers' Association said the violence began after staff tried to breathalyse some of the 200 prisoners. |
| No injuries | No injuries |
| Mark Freeman from POA said there had only been two prison officers and four support staff on duty when the riot broke out. | Mark Freeman from POA said there had only been two prison officers and four support staff on duty when the riot broke out. |
| He said he understood the rioters were in B wing and those who had not been involved, had been kept elsewhere on the site. | |
| He said those carrying out the riots had worn balaclavas so their identities would remain hidden. | |
| BBC correspondent Robert Hall said the fire was initially confined to an accommodation block but at around midday on Saturday, further fires broke out elsewhere. | BBC correspondent Robert Hall said the fire was initially confined to an accommodation block but at around midday on Saturday, further fires broke out elsewhere. |
| He said the damage was severe and prisoners had begun to be moved out of the compound to elsewhere. | He said the damage was severe and prisoners had begun to be moved out of the compound to elsewhere. |
| The blocks destroyed included a mail room, a gym, a snooker room and a pool room with 10 newly-installed pool tables. | The blocks destroyed included a mail room, a gym, a snooker room and a pool room with 10 newly-installed pool tables. |
| Prison service staff were forced to retreat when the riots first broke out but there have been no reports of any injuries to staff or inmates as yet. | Prison service staff were forced to retreat when the riots first broke out but there have been no reports of any injuries to staff or inmates as yet. |
| Officers have formed a cordon around the area where the trouble took place, while smoke can still be seen. | Officers have formed a cordon around the area where the trouble took place, while smoke can still be seen. |
| The Prison Service spokesperson said the sending of additional staff was "not an indication that the situation is escalating but a pre-planned intervention in line with standard practice". | The Prison Service spokesperson said the sending of additional staff was "not an indication that the situation is escalating but a pre-planned intervention in line with standard practice". |
| He added: "The causes of the disturbance are not yet known and will be subject to an investigation." | He added: "The causes of the disturbance are not yet known and will be subject to an investigation." |
| Mr Freeman told the BBC: "I understand that a headcount has now been carried out on one of the wings, which has proved to be correct. | Mr Freeman told the BBC: "I understand that a headcount has now been carried out on one of the wings, which has proved to be correct. |
| "They are still yet to enter the area where the main part of the riot occurred. My understanding is that will happen later in the day as they need to account for the prisoners in that section." | "They are still yet to enter the area where the main part of the riot occurred. My understanding is that will happen later in the day as they need to account for the prisoners in that section." |
| Staff shortages | Staff shortages |
| Mr Freeman added: "We believe alcohol has played a large part in this. | Mr Freeman added: "We believe alcohol has played a large part in this. |
| "Over the past few nights prisoners have been reluctant to be breathalysed by staff. The staff have been chasing them round the blocks trying to breathalyse them, which is sort of reminiscent of the end scene from Benny Hill to me. | "Over the past few nights prisoners have been reluctant to be breathalysed by staff. The staff have been chasing them round the blocks trying to breathalyse them, which is sort of reminiscent of the end scene from Benny Hill to me. |
| "And the fact is that this is what kicked it off last night was breathalysing the inmates. They didn't want to be breathalysed and the riot kicked off in the early hours of this morning. | "And the fact is that this is what kicked it off last night was breathalysing the inmates. They didn't want to be breathalysed and the riot kicked off in the early hours of this morning. |
| "It has been a concern for a long, long time - the amount of alcohol that prisoners are able to get here at Ford. I understand that over 40 bottles of alcohol have been found empty - a great problem." | "It has been a concern for a long, long time - the amount of alcohol that prisoners are able to get here at Ford. I understand that over 40 bottles of alcohol have been found empty - a great problem." |
| He added that staff shortages and prisoners who had been wrongly categorised added to local difficulties. | |
| "It's very difficult when you have a very small staff, which they did last night. | |
| "In our view they do not have enough staff. The general policy is that prisons in an open state have less staff but we feel they should have more because they have more access to illegal activities." | |
| HMP Ford accepts category D offenders who have under two years left to serve on their sentences. | HMP Ford accepts category D offenders who have under two years left to serve on their sentences. |
| The Prison Service website says the institution - which can hold up to 557 inmates - does not house criminals who have been convicted of arson, some sexual offences, or "restraining" offences. | The Prison Service website says the institution - which can hold up to 557 inmates - does not house criminals who have been convicted of arson, some sexual offences, or "restraining" offences. |
| The facility is split into two sites divided by a main road. One of the sides is mainly residential, while the other generally consists of work spaces. | The facility is split into two sites divided by a main road. One of the sides is mainly residential, while the other generally consists of work spaces. |
| Concerns had been raised in the past about the way the prison was operated. | Concerns had been raised in the past about the way the prison was operated. |
| In 2009, the prison's own Independent Monitoring Board said people had been able to smuggle in drugs, alcohol and mobile phones. | In 2009, the prison's own Independent Monitoring Board said people had been able to smuggle in drugs, alcohol and mobile phones. |
| It called for upgraded CCTV for the site to be installed as a priority. | It called for upgraded CCTV for the site to be installed as a priority. |