Number of prison officers to be increased at HMP Wayland

Staff numbers will be increased at two Norfolk prisons following a recruitment drive.

HMP Norwich and HMP Wayland in Watton will employ 50 new prison officers combined as part of a national prison improvement plan.

A prison service spokesman said: “We are committed to turning our prisons into places of safety and reform and we have announced a major overhaul of the prison system, including 2,500 extra frontline officers.

“We are also introducing a new scheme to attract top graduates and former servicemen and women into the service, and giving governors greater flexibility over recruitment so they can address staffing quickly.”

The Ministry of Justice has already made 389 job offers to new recruits.

They are part of the government’s plan to recruit an extra 2,500 frontline officers in prisons.

The first 400 of the new staff members will be in place by the end of March 2017.