Jail crisis: Prisoners at HMP Featherstone refusing to leave their cells

The startling revelation was made by the Independent Monitoring Board in its annual report covering the past year.

The report states that hard drugs such as heroin and cannabis are widespread as well as new psychoactive substances (NPS), formerly known as legal highs, being highly prevalent.

"The board has seen a significant number of prisoners choosing to remain behind their doors for safer custody reasons," it states.

"This is normally because they have debt issues relating to NPS usage and fear reprisals from their prisoner suppliers.

"This adds to the strains put on already overstretched staff in trying to manage them.

"This behaviour is clearly not good for both their mental health and physical wellbeing. They are supported and encouraged to manage their debt issues and return to normal prison life as soon as possible."

On the issue of drugs, it states: "The extent of the ingress of illegal substances and in particular illicit synthetic substances concern the board because of their effect on prisoner behaviour with health concerns, debt and consequent bullying being ongoing issues.

"There is some evidence of a reduction in the use of synthetic substances but an increase in the use of more traditional hard drugs is a worrying trend.

"The board is satisfied that the senior management are aware of the situation and appear to be taking appropriate action. This situation is however common throughout the prison estate."

The prison has always served Shropshire, but increasingly took inmates from our county when Shrewsbury's Dana closed.

It become a "resettlement prison" last year in which inmates from West Mercia are moved there to be closer to home before they are released.

Behaviour has deteriorated since that change happened, although there is nothing unique about Featherstone.

Gavin Williamson says he plans to hold an urgent meeting with the Government's Justice Minister over the "shocking conditions" at Featherstone Prison.

The South Staffordshire MP has vowed to urge ministers to take immediate steps to tackle "a multitude of serious issues" at the jail.

It comes after an Independent Monitoring Board report highlighted serious weaknesses with Featherstone, including high levels of violence towards staff and inmates, vandalism and widespread drug abuse.

Mr Williamson, who is the Government's Chief Whip, said: "In previous years we have already seen signs and concerns raised about Featherstone, but this report is particularly damning. Conditions appear to have deteriorated, and it is now incumbent on the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) to look closely at what action can be taken in order to start seeing significant improvements.

"I will be raising this with the Justice Minister as a matter of urgency to see what support can be brought in to improve the shocking conditions at Featherstone.

"Prison staff have an incredibly difficult job to do and it is clear from this report that they need more assistance from the MoJ.

"As a Government we have pledged to take on 2,500 more prison officers, and I will be asking the minister for assurances that additional staff will be coming to Featherstone."

Mr Williamson also said he was concerned over increased levels of damage to prison property.

The report says that some prisoners have "a lack of respect for their environment", and notes that there is a lack of funds to repair or replace damaged property.

"There can be absolutely no excuse for prisoners smashing up parts of the jail," he said.

However what it does not show is how the number of assaults at the South Staffordshire site near the M54 have increased in recent years.

Back in 2010 there were 66 recorded incidents, meaning the number of assaults has more than doubled in five years. In 2001 there were 34 assaults.

The 40 assaults on staff in Featherstone last year compare to the three in 2010, with the 104 prisoner on prisoner assaults comparing to the 57 five years previously.

It is a similar story when delving into the self-harm figures.

In 2005 there were 12 incidents, but fast forward 11 years and the category C men's prisons recorded 155.

Just four years ago the figure was 61, still way under half of the most recent figures released by the IMB. At the same time of assaults and self-harm increasing, the number of officers has been declining.

The Howard League for Penal Reform reports that in 2013 there were 110 officers in Featherstone, this decreased to 100 the following year and the current number for 2016 is 96.

In January last year the league released a report in which it said the staff shortage at the prison was leading to inmates having hospital appointments and gym sessions cancelled.

As well as the figures there have also been several high-profile incidents at HMP Featherstone in recent years. Back in July, then inmate Menelek Thompson was sentenced to an extra two years and four months in prison for hurling boiling jugs of water mixed with sugar at two guards.

A month later in August a hostage situation developed at the prison with various staff members being assaulted.

A trade union official claimed an extra 20 staff had to be drafted in to help with the problems as an incident took place involving hostages, fires and a two staff assaults.

At the time Prison Officers Association spokesman Mark Fairhurst said conditions at HMP Featherstone had recently deteriorated to the point where it had become "one of the most violent" prisons in the country.