Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

The Prison Governors Assocation (PGA) has issued a statement in the wake of last night's riot, saying the service is in a dismal state.

It's renewed calls for an independent public inquiry into the rise in violence and deaths in prisons. 

It warns that what happened at Bedford could just be the start of more disturbances to come, "or worse". 

The PGA says the latest disorder is of particular concern, as it went beyond the containment of one prison wing, and warns the resulting loss of accommodation is making the situation worse.

It says guidelines suggest 2,000 spaces are required to allow the smooth running of the prison service. The PGA believes there may now be fewer than 300, which can only increase the pressure.

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

Three inmates have been arrested following last night's riot at HMP Bedford.

The men, aged 39, 37 and 26, have been arrested on suspicion of committing offences under the Prison Security Act 1992.

Two prisoners were taken to hospital during the riot, one of whom had fallen unwell and one who had sustained minor injuries during the unrest. Both have been treated and have returned to the prison.

There was a heavy police presence after about 200 inmates were involved in a riot at Bedford Prison.

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

You've been commenting on the events at Bedford Prison on BBC Look East's Facebook page, external.

There's sympathy from Christine Whitfield, who says: "Shortage of prison staff makes life difficult for staff AND inmates. Life in prison is not that easy; I have worked in prisons and would not like being an inmate."

Sarah Thorogood replied: "If you can't control criminals on the inside not much hope outside is there?"

Ann Humphreys reckons: "If they damage it, they'll have to live in that afterwards or fix it themselves, and add a year to their sentence too."

Sherry Kirk-Matthewson is angry about the fact inmates filmed the riot on mobiles: "Would that be on the mobile phones that they are not supposed to have? I for one am sick of hearing about their rights, they are NOT victims they are wrongdoers so treat them accordingly."

Kevin Jon Lock said: "Pity they can't just send the army in to deal with them!"

Daniel Wainwright
Data unit - English regions

The Prison Officers Association says warnings about violence in prisons are "coming to fruition".

Violence in prisons is on the rise, with assaults by inmates on each other and on staff increasing year-on-year.

There were 22,195 assaults across all prisons in England and Wales between March 2015 and March 2016.

Meanwhile, the number of officers in English and Welsh prisons has fallen by a quarter in six years.  

So what's the situation at Bedford Prison?

• There were 110 prison officers at HMP Bedford in June 2016. This compared with 120 the year before.
• The total operational staff is down from 180 to 171, including managers and supervising officers.
• But there has not been much fluctuation in recent years - in 2013 there were 110 officers and in 2014 there were 100.
• The number of assaults did rise in 2015, with 100 in total, but this was still one less than in 2010.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Bedfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Kathryn Holloway, has criticised YouTube and a national newspaper website for broadcasting mobile phone videos of prisoners during the disorder at Bedford prison on Sunday as it happened.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Ms Holloway said showing videos of prisoners as events were still unfolding was "wholly irresponsible and unacceptable", given the safety of prison officers had yet to be established and as Bedfordshire Police officers were at that point on stand-by to support them in regaining control. 

She said: "Transmitting footage of prisoners out of their cells, acting as a mob and apparently trashing offices, was a potential incitement to further violence and disorder.

"It risked putting prison officers and police officers at further risk. That is completely unacceptable."

Television news broadcasters showed infinitely more restraint in reporting unfolding events in declining to transmit the material, she said.

Danny Shaw
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

A factor in the violence is believed to have been prisoners being locked in their cells for a long time over the weekend and the shortage of staff.

A source said the prison was about 20 prison officers short of the required number.  

In its latest inspection report on Bedford in May 2016, the Prisons Inspectorate said: "The restricted regime, introduced because of staff shortages, reduced the average time out of cell by an hour a day. The regime regularly ran late and we saw long delays in unlocking prisoners for work and association."

In October 2015, the Independent Monitoring Board said: "The Board has observed the HMP Bedford prison population becoming increasingly volatile during the reporting period.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of prisoners considered to be at risk of harming themselves, in the number of violent encounters between prisoners, and in the incidence of officers employing control and restraint techniques to deal with difficult prisoners."

It said the most pressing concerns were:

• Chronic staff shortages
• Overcrowding
• Provision for the most vulnerable
• Insufficient focus on rehabilitation
• Systematic erosion of local management authority
• Infrastructure
• New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

Danny Shaw
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

About 50 to 60 prisoners are understood to have been moved out of Bedford prison following last night's riot.

At least 150 inmates are thought to have been involved, although the Prison Officers Association has said 230.

Sources with knowledge of what happened said prisoners on three wings A, B and C - which are gallery-style Victorian landings - were involved.

Prisoners also accessed the centre of the prison - where the wings radiate out from - which usually contains prison equipment, staff files and other items such as phones. 

Bedfordshire Police has begun a criminal investigation and I understand it will be making a statement shortly.

An internal inquiry is also under way.

A police presence remained outside HMP Bedford this morning where hundreds of inmates rioted. 

The disturbance on Sunday saw officers from across the country brought in to control the prisoners, who had taken over two wings. 

Scores of inmates reportedly flooded onto the prison's gangways in chaotic scenes at about 17:00, with control restored by midnight. 

Police and specially-trained officers were called to the Category B site amid reports of loud bangs or explosions coming from inside.    

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

A former inmate at Bedford prison has spoken about his experience while serving time there.

Jonathan Robinson, who said he served a "fully justified" seven week sentence there in 2011, told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme there was "a sense of nothingness" with "prisoners sitting around watching TV all the time".

"Purposeful activity has only risen 1% in the last four years in our prison service and we have the highest re-offending rates in the European Union," he said.

"Prison needs looking at and looking at now.

"Yesterday's events were terribly sad and I'm just very, very pleased nobody was seriously hurt."

Following the disturbance at HMP Bedford, BBC News looks at the rise in violence in prisons

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

The Howard League for Penal Reform says staffing levels in the prison service nationally are down by 30% and at the same time prisons are suffering serious overcrowding. 

Bedford's last inspection , externalshowed it was housing 495 prisoners instead of its certified normal capacity of 322.  

The campaign group tells us there has been an ongoing dispute at Bedford, with officers refusing to unlock prisoners when they feel it's too risky.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

Footage has emerged from Bedford Prison where police were called following reports of unrest, which officials say has been resolved.

Kate Bradbrook
BBC Look East

I'm outside Bedford Prison this morning where riot trained officers have been leaving after last night's disturbance.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

The MP for Bedford said he would be asking the prison governor "serious questions" following last night's disturbance.

Conservative Richard Fuller said it was important to convey to people in the town that the situation was "completely resolved", but the riot had "raised issues" following a report earlier this year in which inmates claimed it was easier to get hold of drugs than clothes or bedding. 

Mr Fuller said: "The September report identified a number of issues which hadn't yet been resolved... I shall be asking some serious questions to the governor about the implementation of [the recommendations]."

Talking about the mobile phone footage of the riot that circulated on social media and inmates phoning relatives to say what was going on, he said: "People will be absolutely horrified to know it's so easy not only for people to get drugs, but also to communicate by mobile phone from within the prison as well."

More than 200 prisoners at HMP Bedford take over two wings during a riot filmed on a mobile phone.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

The riot at HMP Bedford last night has been making headlines locally and nationally.

The Bedfordshire on Sunday, external newspaper reports that "hundreds of inmates ransack guards' offices" and "set fires", while Bedford Today, external reported police and ambulance crews had been called to assist guards.

The Telegraph, external and Sky News, external have also covered the story, with The Guardian, external saying the disturbance was "caused by staff shortages".

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Footage has emerged from Bedford Prison where police were called following reports of unrest, which officials say has been resolved.  

Sophie Sulehria
BBC Three Counties Radio

I'm outside Bedford Prison this morning where there is increased security after last night's riot.

I can see at least three police cars and four security vans lined up outside, but people I've spoken to on the street don't seem unduly worried about the disturbance.

I've also seen prison staff outside following their shift who, in my opinion, look bleary eyed and tired, but they've been told not to speak to the media.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Outside HMP Bedford last night one man said he had a relative inside who had been phoning him to say what was going on.

Image source, South Beds News Agency

"He told me it all started in C wing when staff got into a dispute with a young inmate... Then his mates got involved and it all kicked off," he said.

The man said his relative told him the inmates took control of C wing and also A and B wings, but the Prison Officers Association said just two wings had been taken over.

"This riot isn't about problems between inmates," the relative said.

"What's happening is aimed at the staff because the inmates are fed up with the conditions in the prison.

"It was only a matter of time before this happened. Everyone knew something like this was going to take place."