NO escapes. No riots. No suicides. And more than 20 prisoners on Open University courses, with another 60 completing sex offender treatment programmes.

This was some of the good news today from the annual report of Full Sutton Prison's Independent Monitoring Board.

The IMB, formerly known as the Board of Visitors, reveals that two- thirds of prisoners at the top security jail, near Stamford Bridge, were taking part in education on a regular basis in the last year, compared to only a third a few years ago.

"Many were filling gaps in their knowledge of the three Rs, whilst at the other end of the scale at least 20 prisoners were pursuing Open University courses, two of whom gained degrees," it says.

The report says that the introduction of TVs into cells some years ago for co-operative prisoners had had a profound effect on inmate behaviour.

"It removes a source of potential confrontation at lock-up times and reduces noise disturbance in the late evening."

The report also reveals that for the first time, Full Sutton's imam will take up a full-time post this year to work with the prison's growing number of Muslim prisoners. The chapel is converted into a mosque for Muslim services. A rabbi also makes quarterly visits to the prison, which has two practising Jews.

The report reveals that the prison's special secure unit, "effectively a prison within a prison," which was closed down some years ago after Full Sutton stopped accommodating IRA prisoners, reopened for six months last year.

It says it was used to house three prisoners believed to have a substantial capability, through contacts or money, to escape. After being closed down in November, it is now mothballed in readiness to be used again in future if needed.

The board raises concerns about the growing number of prisoners released back into society straight from Full Sutton, rather than going through the system and staying in lower security prisons first.

The report says the number has grown to about 50 a year, in some cases because prisoners have refused to be transferred.

It says that sometimes, release from a prison such as Full Sutton can severely limit the preparation offered.

"We would ask that a review is undertaken of Full Sutton's intended role in relation to the release of prisoners, and that new operational plans are then put in place."

Updated: 10:50 Monday, March 01, 2004