Authorities have regained control of one of the country’s biggest jails after a major disturbance involving hundreds of inmates.

Specialist riot squads were deployed to HMP Birmingham to tackle the disorder that lasted more than 12 hours on Friday.



Trouble spread across four wings of the privately run facility, with reports of prisoners setting fire to stairwells, breaking a security chain and destroying paper records.

Specially trained prison guards, known as “Tornado” squads, from other parts of the country were backed up by about 25 riot police as they moved into the G4S-run jail, which has a capacity of 1,450 prisoners.

The trouble started at about 9am on Friday and spread from two to four wings by the evening, according to sources, with reports of prisoners burning and destroying their files. It is understood that about 260 prisoners were involved. One prisoner is understood to have received a broken jaw during the disturbances.

Jeering and shouting could be heard into the evening from inside the jail, with smoke rising from the roof, apparently from fires lit inside the building.

Prisoners caught in the middle of the disturbance spoke of their fear they might be attacked by the other prisoners. One prisoner said others had tried unsuccessfully to force their way on to his wing.

Speaking through his solicitor, the prisoner, who is on the jail’s G wing, known as the protected wing for inmates accused or convicted of sex offences, said: “The others have been trying to get in here. We’re terrified.”

All prison officers have been accounted for and none was injured, a Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said.



Earlier on Friday evening, the managing director for G4S custodial and detention services, Jerry Petherick, said: “Our teams withdrew following a disturbance and sealed two wings, which include some administrative offices. The disturbance has since spread to two further wings.



It took years of Tory cuts and wild policy swings to create this prisons crisis | Phil Wheatley Read more

“Additional officers have arrived on site and we have deployed canine units within the prison. West Midlands police helicopter is also in attendance. We are working with colleagues across the service to bring this disturbance to a safe conclusion.”

The situation, in which keys giving access to residential prison areas were taken from an officer, will be investigated thoroughly, the justice secretary said.

Liz Truss said: “I want to pay tribute to the bravery and dedication of the prison officers who resolved this disturbance … Violence in our prisons will not be tolerated and those responsible will face the full force of the law.”

Prison affairs academic and blogger Alex Cavendish said an “inside informant” told him the trouble started with lights being broken and prisoners controlling fire hoses. “The officers were then, as they are instructed to do, trying to get as many prisoners locked in their cells as possible to contain it,” he said. “While one of the officers was putting a prisoner in the cell, he was threatened with what appeared to be a used syringe.”

Cavendish said that while this officer was distracted by the threat, “another inmate came up behind, snatched the keys from his belt and snapped the security chain”. He said that once prisoners have control of the keys, protocol tells the officers to “withdraw to a place of safety” and said they “abandoned the wing” where the incident started.

A spokesman for the Prison Governors’ Association said: “It would appear, on the face of it, that the private sector has now been infected with the same disease that has had such a debilitating impact on the running of public sector prisons: an erosion of respect and a disregard for authority which has emboldened prisoners across both the public and private sector. Any suggestion that this riot is evidence that the staffing levels in public sector prisons are not a factor, or an insignificant one, is too simplistic.”

The national chairman of the POA prison officers’ union, Mike Rolfe, said the incident was “another stark warning to the Ministry of Justice that the service is in crisis”.

POA members held protests outside jails around the country in November over health and safety concerns.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Canine units were deployed within the prison. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

The shadow justice secretary, Richard Burgon, had said that the disturbances at the Birmingham jail were “hugely concerning”. The Labour MP said: “It must be hoped that order can be swiftly and peacefully restored. This is only the latest in a number of disturbances across the prison estate. The justice secretary is failing to get this crisis under control.”

The Victorian category B jail, which was built in 1849 and is close to the city centre, can hold 1,450 adult remand and sentenced male prisoners.

A spokesman for the West Midlands ambulance service said it was called to the prison at 12.23pm. A hazardous area response team was in attendance, together with an ambulance and paramedic area support officer.

A former prisoner who was released in January told the Press Association that drugs were rife in the jail and there was a lack of respect between some staff and prisoners.



The man, who declined to give his name, said each of the jail’s wings was arranged over four floors, with more than 100 prisoners per wing.

It is the third disturbance in English prisons in less than two months. On 6 November, a riot at the category B Bedford prison caused chaos when up to 200 prisoners flooded the jail’s gangways. On 29 October, a national response unit had to be brought in to control prisoners during an incident at HMP Lewes in East Sussex.

There has been a string of warnings about safety behind bars after statistics revealed soaring levels of violence in jails in England and Wales, with assaults on staff up by 43% in the year to June.

Last month, the justice secretary, Liz Truss, unveiled her plans for prison reform, with measures including a recruitment drive to add 2,500 officers to the frontline and “no-fly zones” to stop drones dropping drugs and other contraband into prisons.</s>Image copyright Reuters Image caption Police officers in riot gear stand outside HMP Birmingham, run by security firm G4S

Authorities have regained control of a prison after more than 12 hours of rioting described as the worst since the Strangeways jail riot 26 years ago.

The Ministry of Justice said riot teams restored order to all four wings of HMP Birmingham just after 22:30 on Friday.

They were deployed to tackle the disorder, which is understood to have involved up to 600 inmates.

Justice Secretary Liz Truss said violence in prisons "will not be tolerated".

The BBC understands that one prisoner was hurt during the riot and taken to hospital with a fractured jaw and broken eye socket.

Prison wings are now being inspected to assess the scale of the damage after prisoners took control of the category B prison on Friday morning.

Image copyright Other Image caption An unverified photo appears to show debris and damage caused during the disturbance

Mike Rolfe, national chairman of the Prison Officers Association, said more than 30 staff had left the Winson Green prison in recent weeks and compared the trouble to the notorious Strangeways riot in 1990.

He said: "This prison is a tough place to work, it serves a very big area, it serves a large, dangerous population of prisoners but it's not unlike many other prisons up and down the country, ones that have very similar inmates.

"And we've been warning for a long time about the crisis in prisons and what we are seeing at Birmingham is not unique to Birmingham, but it certainly would seem that this is the most recent worst incident since the 1990 Strangeways riot."

Rodger Lawrence, chairman of the Birmingham prison Independent Monitoring Board, said his members had not seen anything of concern during a visit earlier this week, but said the riot "didn't come as a complete shock" as there had been "a build up of frustration" over prison conditions.

Trouble flared at the Birmingham prison, which is run by G4S, after an officer was "rushed" by inmates at around 09:00.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Riot officers entered the prison to regain control after disturbances broke out

Violence quickly escalated and due to the scale of the disturbances the Prison Service took over the incident and specialist Tornado units were deployed to regain control.

Prison units from across the country were also drafted in to assist.

Ms Truss thanked prison staff and emergency services for their help during the disorder.

She said: "I want to pay tribute to the bravery and dedication of the prison officers who resolved this disturbance.

"This was a serious situation and a thorough investigation will now be carried out. Violence in our prisons will not be tolerated and those responsible will face the full force of the law."

'Callous disregard for safety'

During the disturbance the BBC was contacted by several men claiming to be prisoners at the jail, who said poor conditions were behind the disturbance.

The men, who said they were calling from inside HMP Birmingham, cited inadequate staff numbers, poor healthcare and nutrition.

They said being on "lockdown" in their cells all day was a major factor that contributed to the trouble.

Image copyright Other Image caption Another unverified photo circulated online purporting to show scenes from inside the prison

Jerry Petherick, managing director for G4S custodial and detention, said the prisoners behind the trouble "showed a callous disregard for the safety of prisoners and staff".

He said: "This disturbance will rightly be subject to scrutiny and we will work openly and transparently with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of today's disorder."</s>Inmates behind the worst prison riot in 25 years have been heard chanting "we want food" as thick plumes of smoke emerge over the prison walls.

Rampaging prisoners could be heard chanting from outside Winson Green Prison in Birmingham - which was taken over by criminals this morning.

Officers were forced to flee at around 9am this morning after inmates threatened a officer with a syringe and stole his keys.

The incident sparked the takeover of at least four wings of the Category B prison by around 400 criminals - including the gym, pharmacy and security equipment store.

Dramatic pictures taken inside the jail show scenes of chaos as inmates pose in stolen security gear and wings can be seen scattered with debris.

Private security firm G4S dramatically handed control of the jail back to the Prison Service - effectively accepting they are unable to reclaim the wings.

A special Tornado team of prison riot officers and armed police have been called in to try and wrestle the situation back under control.

All staff are believed to have been accounted for after being evacuated in accordance with prison guidelines to avoid a potential hostage situation.

Angry inmates called the Birmingham Mail from inside the prison, claiming drug debt "scores are being settled" inside the jail.

One prisoner said the disorder started with seven inmates inside N-wing because there "has been no TV to watch and the gym is closed".

He said: “There are people dealing with issues in here at the moment. Lots of scores are being settled because all of the doors are open.

“They are walking onto wings and dealing with people who are in debt because of Mamba. Some of these people rely on prisoner officers and cell doors to hide behind. That protection is not there at the moment.

“The people who are in the most danger are the ones who owe big debts because of drugs. If people are spotting others who owe them a lot of money they are being dealt with.

“Some people are staying in big groups for protection and others are following the group. Some are just staying in their cells and keeping their heads down.

“One has had his head bust up, one has been stabbed and others have been beat up and rushed."

It is believed to be the worst prison riot since the Strangeways Riot in Manchester in 1990, which developed into a 25-day rooftop stand-off.

Distraught loved-ones of offenders say they have received phonecalls from inside the prison and could hear scenes of carnage in the background.

One relative said: "He (the prisoner) had to run and barricade himself under his bed. He said it’s crazy in there.

“I was listening on the phone and all I could hear was shouting, screaming and banging. It’s absolutely disgusting. I’m worried about what will happen to him.

“I know that he didn’t tell me everything about what was happening because he didn’t want to worry me.”

One inmate, speaking through a relative, said: “I have been in riots before and this is, by far, the worst I’ve come across.

“There are now three wings involved and the whole prison is surrounded."

The prisoner claimed the trouble was sparked by the death of an inmate two weeks ago, and believed the man committed suicide.

Former inmate Stefan Parszko, 60, from Stoke had just been released after a four-and-a-half month sentence.

He said: “There has been lots of anger over the last few days as we have been locked in a lot as there has been a lack of staff.

"It's chaos in there."

Last month it was revealed an inmate died after taking a cocktail of drugs at the prison - while in the rehabilitation wing.

Shoplifter Dean Boland, 30, had taken the former illegal high Black Mamba and had taken five other drugs which were not prescribed to him.

A prison insider previously spoke to the Birmingham Mail about alleged problems at the prison, including drug smuggling.

He claimed: “Before G4S took over there were lots of experienced staff who were paid good money. Now they’ve got new less experienced staff in who can’t cope.

“Threats, drugs - it’s almost constant. Drones are buzzing all over Winson Green.”

HMP Birmingham, better known locally as Winson Green, has been a feature in Birmingham since Victorian times – and was the scene of dozens of executions.

Winson Green, built in 1849, holds as many as 1,450 inmates and is the first publicly run prison to be transferred to a private firm after G4S was awarded a 15 year contract in 2011.</s>A disturbance by prisoners at HMP Birmingham has spread from two to four wings of the prison, according to sources.

A specialist riot squad known as the Tornado Team has been deployed to quell the trouble, which started at the prison – formerly known as Winson Green – at about 9am.

All prison officers have been accounted for at the jail, which is privately run by G4S. There were reports of a badly injured prisoner, and inmates burning and destroying their files.

As a police helicopter hovered overhead, a steady stream of prison officers in black overalls carrying riot shields and equipment arrived on foot and in vans on Friday afternoon. One of the specially trained units of up to 15 officers had arrived from HMP Long Lartin near Evesham, Worcestershire.

The managing director for G4S custodial and detention services, Jerry Petherick, said: “Our teams withdrew following a disturbance and sealed two wings, which include some administrative offices. The disturbance has since spread to two further wings. All staff have been accounted for.

“Additional officers have arrived on site and we have deployed canine units within the prison. West Midlands police helicopter is also in attendance. We are working with colleagues across the service to bring this disturbance to a safe conclusion.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The Prison Service is managing the ongoing incident at HMP Birmingham. The situation is contained, the perimeter is secure and there is no risk to public. We are absolutely clear that prisoners who behave in this way will be punished and could spend significantly longer behind bars.”

Prison affairs academic and blogger Alex Cavendish told the Press Association an “inside informant” told him the trouble started with lights being broken and inmates controlling fire hoses. “The officers were then, as they are instructed to do, trying to get as many prisoners locked in their cells as possible to contain it,” he said. “While one of the officers was putting a prisoner in the cell he was threatened with what appeared to be a used syringe.”

Cavendish said while this officer was distracted by the threat, “another inmate came up behind, snatched the keys from his belt and snapped the security chain”. He said that once prisoners had control of the keys, protocol tells the officers to “withdraw to a place of safety” and said they “abandoned the wing” where the incident started.

A spokesman for the Prison Governors’ Association said: “It would appear, on the face of it, that the private sector has now been infected with the same disease that has had such a debilitating impact on the running of public sector prisons: an erosion of respect and a disregard for authority which has emboldened prisoners across both the public and private sector. Any suggestion that this riot is evidence that the staffing levels in public sector prisons are not a factor, or an insignificant one, is too simplistic.”

The national chairman of the POA, Mike Rolfe, said the incident was “another stark warning to the Ministry of Justice that the service is in crisis”.

“The whole facts surrounding the incident at HMP Birmingham are not known,” he said. “National resources have been deployed to deal with this incident involving approximately 300 prisoners within two prison wings. No staff injuries have been reported and staff are currently monitoring the situation and awaiting national support, through mutual aid.”

POA members held protests outside jails around the country in November over health and safety concerns.

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said the disturbances at the Birmingham jail are “hugely concerning”. The Labour MP said: “It must be hoped that order can be swiftly and peacefully restored. This is only the latest in a number of disturbances across the prison estate. The justice secretary is failing to get this crisis under control.”

The Victorian category-B jail, which was built in 1849 and is close to the city centre, can hold 1,450 adult remand and sentenced male prisoners.

A spokesman for the West Midlands ambulance service said it was called to the prison at 12.23pm. A hazardous area response team was in attendance, together with an ambulance and paramedic area support officer, but no details were available about any casualties or injuries suffered.

It is the third disturbance in English prisons in less than two months. On 6 November a riot at the category-B Bedford prison caused chaos when up to 200 prisoners flooded the jail’s gangways. On 29 October, a national response unit had to be brought in to control prisoners during an incident at HMP Lewes in East Sussex.



There has been a string of warnings about safety behind bars after statistics revealed soaring levels of violence in jails in England and Wales, with assaults on staff up by 43% in the year to June.

Last month, the justice secretary, Liz Truss, unveiled her plans for prison reform, with measures including a recruitment drive to add 2,500 officers to the frontline and “no-fly zones” to stop drones dropping drugs and other contraband into prisons.</s>Some 240 prisoners were being moved out of HMP Birmingham yesterday after a riot at one of the country’s biggest jails.

Hundreds of inmates were caught up in the disorder and four wings at the privately run jail were damaged during the disturbances on Friday, which lasted for more than 12 hours.

Riot squads were deployed to the category-B prison run by G4S after reports of prisoners setting fire to stairwells and destroying paper records.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: “Two hundred and forty prisoners are being transferred out of HMP Birmingham following a serious disturbance.

“The prison remains calm and ordered with additional staff on site to offer support. The Prison Service will continue to work closely with G4S to manage the prison safely over the coming days.

“A full assessment of the damage is under way. Initial reports indicate that two wings suffered superficial damage, with more serious damage to a further two wings.

“A limited regime is being offered to those who were not involved in the disturbance and staff continue to work closely with West Midlands Police. A thorough investigation into the disturbance is under way.”

The city centre jail, formerly known as Winson Green, can hold up to 1,450 inmates, but it is understood around 260 prisoners were caught up in the incident.

Specially trained prison guards, known as “Tornado” squads, from other parts of the country were backed up by about 25 riot police as they moved into the facility late on Friday.

One man, believed to be in his 20s, was taken to hospital with a facial injury as well as cuts and bruises. No prison staff were injured.

Rodger Lawrence, chairman of the Birmingham Prison independent monitoring board, said its last report to the government had recommended a review of the number of staff needed for the contract.

It followed comments from Mike Rolfe, national chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association, who previously protested over safety concerns and told BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight that more than 30 staff had left the jail in recent weeks.

Lawrence told the BBC: “We believe things have significantly changed since the contract was drawn up, and they do actually need more staff in prisons.”

He said the violence did not “come as a complete shock”.

Michael Spurr, chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, said gang-related violence and disorder fuelled by drugs had “really changed the dynamic” in prisons but promised to “turn it around”.

G4S has run the prison since 2011 when it became the first public-sector jail to be privatised.</s>About 240 inmates involved in a 12-hour riot at one of Britain’s biggest prisons are being moved out of the jail, the Ministry of Justice has said.

The disorder involved as many as 600 of the 1,450 inmates and spread across all four wings of the privately operated HMP Birmingham, formerly known as Winson Green, on Friday.

Specially trained prison guards, known as “Tornado” squads, were backed up by about 25 riot police officers as they moved into the Victorian facility. Order was not restored until late on Friday night.

One prisoner is understood to have sustained a broken jaw during the disturbances but no prison officers were injured.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said the prison remained “calm and ordered” on Saturday and additional staff remained on site.

“The Prison Service will continue to work closely with G4S to manage the prison safely over the coming days. A full assessment of the damage is under way. Initial reports indicate that two wings suffered superficial damage, with more serious damage to a further two wings,” she said.

“A limited regime is being offered to those who were not involved in the disturbance and staff continue to work closely with West Midlands police. A thorough investigation into the disturbance is under way.”

The ministry did not say where the prisoners were being transferred the day after the disturbance, which was the third in a prison in England in less than two months.

Mike Rolfe, the national chairman of the Prison Officers Association, said more than 30 staff had left the jail in recent weeks.

“This prison is a tough place to work, it serves a very big area, it serves a large, dangerous population of prisoners, but it’s not unlike many other prisons up and down the country – ones that have very similar inmates,” he told the BBC.

“We’ve been warning for a long time about the crisis in prisons, and what we are seeing at Birmingham is not unique to Birmingham, but it certainly would seem that this is the most recent worst incident since the 1990 Strangeways riot.”

The justice secretary, Liz Truss, said the situation, in which keys giving access to residential prison areas were taken from an officer and inmates occupied some blocks and exercise facilities, would be investigated thoroughly. 



“Violence in our prisons will not be tolerated and those responsible will face the full force of the law,” she said.

Jerry Petherick, a G4S executive, said the prisoners behind the trouble displayed a callous disregard for the safety of other inmates and staff. “This disturbance will rightly be subject to scrutiny and we will work openly and transparently with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of [Friday’s] disorder.”

The shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, told Channel 4 News that “private companies should not be involved in taking away people’s liberty. Actually, it’s clear that G4S don’t have the quality of staff to manage a crisis like this.”

Robert Neill, the Conservative chairman of the Commons justice committee, told the programme that the MPs on his committee had warned the government that a “time bomb was ticking” because prisons were in crisis.

Asked if this had been the worst prison riot in years, Neill replied: “This is a problem which has happened both in privately and publicly run systems, so it applies across the piece. I think that does indicate that we have got a situation where, if people are locked down 22, 23 hours a day, as we have discovered, that breeds tension, that breeds violence, and, as you rightly say, we are not actually keeping prisons secure enough to stop contraband getting in.”</s>Authorities have regained control of one of the country’s biggest jails after trouble described as the worst since the infamous 1990 Strangeways Prison riot.

Hundreds of inmates were caught up in disorder after disturbances erupted across four wings of HMP Birmingham, lasting more than 12 hours.

Riot squads were deployed to the category B jail to restore order after reports of prisoners setting fire to stairwells, breaking a security chain and destroying paper records.

Specially-trained prison guards, known as “Tornado” squads from other parts of the country were backed up by around 25 riot police as they moved into the privately-run facility late on Friday.

Police had earlier closed the road and established a secure cordon around the main gate of the prison.

One prisoner is understood to have received a broken jaw and eye socket during the disturbances, while no prison staff were injured.

Broken windows and damaged walls were described as being left in the aftermath of the disruption, but sources said it had been “superficial”.

Mike Rolfe, national chairman of the Prison Officers Association, who last month protested over safety concerns, said more than 30 staff had left the prison in recent weeks and compared the trouble to the notorious Strangeways riot 26 years ago.

“This prison is a tough place to work, it serves a very big area, it serves a large, dangerous population of prisoners but it’s not unlike many other prisons up and down the country - ones that have very similar inmates,” he told BBC Radio Four’s The World Tonight.

“And we’ve been warning for a long time about the crisis in prisons and what we are seeing at Birmingham is not unique to Birmingham, but it certainly would seem that this is the most recent worst incident since the 1990 Strangeways riot.”

Mr Rolfe accused the Government of not funding the prison system properly and said such disturbances are becoming more frequent as a result.

The situation, in which keys giving access to residential prison areas were taken from an officer and inmates occupied some blocks and exercise facilities, will be investigated thoroughly, the Justice Secretary said.

Liz Truss said: “I want to pay tribute to the bravery and dedication of the prison officers who resolved this disturbance.

“I also want to give my thanks to West Midlands Police, who supported G4S and the Prison Service throughout the day, ambulance crews and the fire service who also provided assistance.

“This was a serious situation and a thorough investigation will now be carried out. Violence in our prisons will not be tolerated and those responsible will face the full force of the law.”

The city centre jail formerly known as Winson Green and run by G4S can hold up to 1,450 inmates, but it is understood around 260 prisoners were caught up in the incident.

Jerry Petherick, managing director for G4S custodial and detention, said the prisoners behind the trouble “showed a callous disregard for the safety of prisoners and staff”.

He added: “This disturbance will rightly be subject to scrutiny and we will work openly and transparently with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of today’s disorder.”

Former inmates at the jail where serial murderer Fred West hanged himself in 1995 have said they are not surprised at the disturbances, describing it as something that was “bound to happen”.

The latest disturbance is the third in English prisons in less than two months.

On November 6 a riot at category B Bedford Prison saw up to 200 inmates go on the rampage, flooding the jail’s gangways in chaotic scenes.

Just days earlier, on October 29, a national response unit had to be brought in to control prisoners during an incident at HMP Lewes in East Sussex.

A spokesman from the Prison Governors Association said the disturbance at the Birmingham jail “comes at a very difficult time for Noms (National Offender Management Service) on the back of recent riots and at a time when the prison estate is already bursting at the seams”.

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said the disturbances at the Birmingham jail were “hugely concerning” and claimed the Justice Secretary was “failing to get this crisis under control”.

Tory chairman of the Commons Justice Committee, Robert Neill, told Channel Four News the Government had been warned by his watchdog group of MPs that a “time bomb was ticking” as prisons were in “crisis”.

When it was suggested this could be the worst prison riot in years, Mr Neill said: “Certainly looking that way, yeah, and this is a problem which has happened both in privately and publicly-run systems, so it applies across the piece.

“I think that does indicate that we have got a situation where if people are locked down 22/23 hours a day, as we have discovered, that breeds tension, that breeds violence, and, as you rightly say, we are not actually keeping prisons secure enough to stop contraband getting in.”

Labour’s shadow home secretary Diane Abbott told Channel Four News “private companies should not be involved in taking away people’s liberty. Actually, it’s clear that G4S don’t have the quality of staff to manage a crisis like this”.</s>This is the moment two grinning inmates wearing stolen riot gear triumphantly raised a middle finger at the prison system amid one of its worst riots in decades.

Officers were forced to flee Winson Green prison in Birmingham this morning after inmates threatened a officer with a syringe and stole his keys.

The incident sparked the takeover of at least four wings of the Category B prison by around 400 criminals.

Dramatic pictures appearing to have been taken inside the jail show scenes of chaos as inmates poses with officers' keys and wings are strewn with debris.

There are also reports that one prisoner has been stabbed and of other inmates burning and destroying their files.

A special Tornado team of prison riot officers and armed police have been called in to try and wrestle the situation back under control.

All staff are believed to have been accounted for after being evacuated in accordance with prison guidelines to avoid a potential hostage situation.

Angry inmates called the Birmingham Mail from inside the prison, claiming drug debt "scores are being settled" inside the jail.

One prisoner said the disorder started with seven inmates inside N-wing because there "has been no TV to watch and the gym is closed".

He said: “There are people dealing with issues in here at the moment. Lots of scores are being settled because all of the doors are open.

“They are walking onto wings and dealing with people who are in debt because of Mamba. Some of these people rely on prisoner officers and cell doors to hide behind. That protection is not there at the moment.

“The people who are in the most danger are the ones who owe big debts because of drugs. If people are spotting others who owe them a lot of money they are being dealt with.

“Some people are staying in big groups for protection and others are following the group. Some are just staying in their cells and keeping their heads down.

“One has had his head bust up, one has been stabbed and others have been beat up and rushed."

It is believed to be the worst prison riot since the Strangeways Riot in Manchester in 1990, which developed into a 25-day rooftop stand-off.

Distraught loved-ones of offenders say they have received phonecalls from inside the prison and could hear scenes of carnage in the background.

One relative said: "He (the prisoner) had to run and barricade himself under his bed. He said it’s crazy in there.

“I was listening on the phone and all I could hear was shouting, screaming and banging. It’s absolutely disgusting. I’m worried about what will happen to him.

“I know that he didn’t tell me everything about what was happening because he didn’t want to worry me.”

One inmate, speaking through a relative, said: “I have been in riots before and this is, by far, the worst I’ve come across.

“There are now three wings involved and the whole prison is surrounded."

The prisoner claimed the trouble was sparked by the death of an inmate two weeks ago, and believed the man committed suicide.

A relative of an inmate at the prison said: “It’s still happening now. He said it all started over there no being enough hot water in the shower or something like that.

“There are no officers on the wing now. They have abandoned it. There is major damage to the wing. It was obviously frightening, but that’s prison isn’t it.”

Managing Director for G4S custodial and detention services, Jerry Petherick, said: “We continue to respond to an ongoing incident at HMP Birmingham which began just after 9am this morning.

“Our teams withdrew following a disturbance and sealed two wings, which include some administrative offices. The disturbance has since spread to two further wings.

“All staff have been accounted for. Additional officers have arrived on site and we have deployed canine units within the prison. West Midlands Police helicopter is also in attendance.

“We are working with colleagues across the service to bring this disturbance to a safe conclusion.”

There were conflicting reports about what sparked the disturbance - with claims that it was due to anything from TV or gym access to the recent death of an inmate to inmates not receiving medication to there not being enough hot water in the showers.

The tearful wife of a guard said her husband expressed fears that a riot could break out "all the time" in conversations with her.

She said: "Every day my husband goes to work and i am worried sick i will never see him again."

She claimed conditions inside the prison are dangerous for workers because of severe staffing shortages.

Inmates said they were upset with conditions inside the prison and claimed "the guards have completely lost control".

Former inmate Stefan Parszko, 60, from Stoke had just been released after a four-and-a-half month sentence.

He said: “There has been lots of anger over the last few days as we have been locked in a lot as there has been a lack of staff.

"It's chaos in there."

Blogger and former prisoner Alex Cavendish, of Prison UK, said he had been told by an "inside informant" that inmates had breached wings and had entered exercise yards after starting fires, destroying files and throwing computers from windows in the offender management unit.

He said there were claims that a prisoner's neck had been slashed and another was beaten by fellow inmates.

He was told the riot started on N wing and spread to other wings as inmates smashed lights and controlled fire hoses, leading to water being cut off.

He added: "The officers were then, as they are instructed to do, trying to get as many prisoners locked in their cells as possible to contain it.

“While one of the officers was putting a prisoner in the cell he was threatened with what appeared to be a used syringe.”

Mr Cavendish, 53, said while this officer was distracted by the threat, "another inmate came up behind, snatched the keys from his belt and snapped the security chain".

He added once prisoners have control of keys, protocol tells the officers to "withdraw to a place of safety" and said they "abandoned the wing" where the incident started.

He said: "It is a very serious situation and I think the fact they have now accessed the key offices like the offender management unit - that is where all the offender records are.

"If they destroy all of those records it is going to take months or even years to rebuild the information."

He said his informant told him that G wing, the vulnerable prisoners unit, had been secured.

West Midlands Ambulance Service has confirmed that they are in attendance at Winson Green Prison.

A spokesman said that paramedics were called to the scene at 12.23pm along with the Hazardous Area Response Team.

Last month it was revealed an inmate died after taking a cocktail of drugs at the prison - while in the rehabilitation wing.

Shoplifter Dean Boland, 30, had taken the former illegal high Black Mamba and had taken five other drugs which were not prescribed to him.

A prison insider previously spoke to the Birmingham Mail about alleged problems at the prison, including drug smuggling.

He claimed: “Before G4S took over there were lots of experienced staff who were paid good money. Now they’ve got new less experienced staff in who can’t cope.

“Threats, drugs - it’s almost constant. Drones are buzzing all over Winson Green.”

HMP Birmingham, better known locally as Winson Green, has been a feature in Birmingham since Victorian times – and was the scene of dozens of executions.

Winson Green, built in 1849, holds as many as 1,450 inmates and is the first publicly run prison to be transferred to a private firm after G4S was awarded a 15 year contract in 2011.</s>LONDON — Security firm G4S has deployed a specialist riot squad to a prison the English city of Birmingham after disturbances by inmates spread to four wings of the facility.

G4S is a private company which runs the prison.

The disturbance began at about 9 a.m. GMT (0400 a.m. EST) Friday.

The unrest comes at a time that Britain's prisons are under intense pressure. Members of the Prison Officers Association say violence and inmate suicides are rising.

Some 200 prisoners rioted last month at Bedford Prison in southern England and guards also staged a walkout before courts ordered them to return to work. The prison officers union says "the service is in meltdown," with poor morale making it hard to retain staff.</s>LONDON — Security firm G4S sent a specialist riot squad Friday to a prison in the English city of Birmingham after inmates took control of several wings of the medium-security facility.

G4S is a private company that runs the prison.

There were no reported injuries among prison staff during the disturbance, which began at about 9 a.m. and continued hours later.

Jerry Petherick, G4S managing director for custodial and detention services, said the disturbance involved four wings and "some administrative offices" at the prison, 120 miles north of London.

The Ministry of Justice said "the situation is contained, the perimeter is secure and there is no risk to public."

The unrest comes at a time when Britain's prisons are under intense pressure from growing inmate numbers and staffing cuts. The prison staff union said violence and inmate suicides are rising.

Some 200 prisoners rioted last month at Bedford Prison in southern England, and guards staged a nationwide walkout before courts ordered them to return to work.

Prison Officers Association National Chair Mike Rolfe said the Birmingham incident was "another stark warning to the Ministry of Justice that the service is in crisis."
A riot breaks out inside the G4S-run HM Prison Birmingham in Winson Green, Birmingham, United Kingdom. At least one inmate has been badly injured. The Ministry of Justice says riot police have regained control of the prison.