A BRITISH jail went on lockdown after inmates stole five-inch blades that were left by workmen.
HMP Wayland was placed on lockdown on Wednesday after the three knives, which were being used to cut away linoleum flooring in A Wing, were reported missing by contractors.
The high-security prison in Norfolk went on lockdown as officers frantically looked for the blades fearing they would be used in a stabbing.
After five tense hours all the knives were recovered and two of the knives were found on B Wing, a source told the MailOnline.
The source said: “It doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened. It's bad enough not spotting one knife left unattended but three?
“Those knives are used to cut through thick Lino flooring and the way the blades are curved means they could do a lot of damage.”
They added the security will be “ramped up” after the staff were “astonishingly negligent”.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “These items were quickly recovered and prisoners engaging in this kind of behaviour can expect punishment.
“The prison will be reminding its contractors of the importance of securing their equipment.”
'DISTURBING' PRISON FIGURES
The lockdown happened on the same day that government figures showed violence and self-harm in prisons are “unacceptably high”.
The figures show that in the year to September, there were 33,803 assault incidents, up 20 per cent from the previously 12 months.
There were 52,814 self-harm incidents, which is a 23 per cent increase and a new record high, according to the Ministry of Justice’s report.
Justice Minister David Gauke acknowledged the latest figures were “disturbing”.
He said: “Violence and self-harm in our prisons is unacceptably high and these figures underline why we are spending an extra £70m to fight the drugs plaguing prisons and boost security, while also training over 4,000 new prison officers in handling the complex offender population.
Clearly there is a huge amount yet to be done but I am determined to cut the violence so prisons can focus on rehabilitating the offenders who will be back out at some point.”
HMP Wayland, near Thetford, is a Category C prison.
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It is where Reggie Kray was held before his release in 2000 and the Westminster Bridge terrorist Khalid Masood spent two years there.
The prison has a history of violence and saw four deaths in custody in 2015.
Paul Cawkwell, the prison governor, was severely beaten by an inmate in the canteen in August 2016.
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