armley prison book visit online

https://gds.blog.gov.uk/2014/09/15/you-can-now-book-a-prison-visit-online/

You can now book a prison visit online

Booking a prison visit should be simple and straightforward. Until now that was far from the case. Booking a visit required both prisoner and visitor to jump through hoops: paper forms and drawn-out phone calls. And if the visit date turned out to be impossible, they had to start all over again.

Now you can book a visit online . It takes about 5 minutes. Before, picking an available date was pot luck. Now there's a date-picker that lets you select 3 possible slots instead of 1. It’s a straight-forward service with user-needs at its heart but, if you get stuck, you can call the prison's visits booking line and someone will help you with the booking.

Here's a very short film we've made about it:

By making it easier to book visits, prisoners will see more of their friends and family. Evidence suggests this will help their rehabilitation. Transformation isn't just about websites.

The service was built by the Ministry of Justice, with a combined team from the National Offender Management Service, HM Prison Service and MoJ Digital Services.

For more of the story behind this service, read Mike Bracken's account of his trip to HMP Rochester or check out the service’s transformation page .

Join the conversation on Twitter , and don't forget to sign up for email alerts .

You may also be interested in:

• Prison visit booking: using digital analytics to inform alpha development
• Making prison visits easier to book
• Meet the Transformation team

Sharing and comments

Share this page, 20 comments.

Comment by Pauline posted on 23 August 2015

How do you find out the prisoners number??? so you can go ahead with online booking of a visit?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 24 August 2015

You can find a prisoner using this service: https://www.gov.uk/find-prisoner However it will be the prisoner's responsibility to get in touch with you to let you know their prison number etc.

Comment by linda posted on 15 August 2015

This service does not appear to work this is day 2 trying to use it

Comment by Olivia posted on 30 July 2015

Hi, If a visit is booked and someone cant make it, is it possible to change the name of one of the people to someone else?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 30 July 2015

It's best to contact the prison directly if this happens. You can find contact details here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Thanks, Louise

Comment by Paige posted on 28 July 2015

Hi my partner was sent to nottingham today, I was on his previous list 4 months ago for a visit. Will that still be on the system all will it have to he put through again if so how long does it take to be approved for a visit? Thanks Paige.

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 29 July 2015

You might want to get in touch with the prison first before booking a visit. You can find the contact details of the prison here: http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder

Comment by Debs posted on 27 July 2015

Hello Is there a list of prisons where online booking can't be used?

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 28 July 2015

According to the information on this page: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits , you can arrange a visit to any prison in England and Wales through this service. If you're visiting someone in Northern Ireland or Scotland you'll need to contact the prison directly.

This link also lists the type of visits that are not covered by the online service: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits so you need to get in touch with the prison directly.

Hope that's helpful.

Comment by c.steer posted on 26 July 2015

So how do I find the booking form to fill in I am new to computers

Comment by Louise Duffy posted on 27 July 2015

Here's the link to the booking form: https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

You'll need this information to complete the form:

prisoner number prisoner’s date of birth dates of birth for all visitors coming with you make sure the person you’re visiting has added you to their visitor list

Hope that's useful.

Comment by Shawnaa posted on 09 May 2015

i have a visit booked which i did online but i do not have a visiting order woll the prison let me in?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 11 May 2015

Your identity will be checked on arrival to make sure you’re on the visitor list.

Comment by jessicca posted on 27 January 2015

What happens after you book the visit and its confirmed by email do you need the visiting order ?

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 29 January 2015

The Visiting Order (VO) number is generated by the booking system, it is included in your confirmation email and you will need this to change or cancel a booking.

However, if you're visiting a prison the guidance is that you only need your ID, not the VO number. If when you visit the prison you are asked for the VO number you should report this via the Contact Us link on the Prison Visits Booking form.

I hope that helps.

Comment by Ilysa Mcnally posted on 18 November 2014

How late in advance can I book e.g. book a visit today (Tuesday) for the Sunday coming???

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 19 November 2014

Hi Ilysa. Thanks for your question. A visit needs to be booked 3 working days in advance. So in this case, the visit request would have to be no later than Tuesday to allow for a visit on Sunday.

Comment by carole posted on 23 October 2014

How far in advance can you book visits

Comment by Carrie Barclay posted on 23 October 2014

Hi Carole. You can book up to 28 days in advance. Thanks for your question.

Comment by kimberly posted on 16 August 2015

does anyone know how to cancel a visit online?

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Jigsaw Visitor Centre - Leeds

Jigsaw offers a range of services to prisoners' families and prisoners at HMP Leeds. Their Visitor Centre books in visitors, provides information, advice and support through their family support team, delivers relationship and parenting courses within the prison, delivers the play area and organises special family visits. Interventions are designed to help families and prisoners make positive choices for their future wellbeing, improve the outcomes for children and reduce re-offending. The Visitor Centre has produced a booklet with information for first time visitors (please download from the site below) and offers telephone and face to face support for families and friends of prisoners. They also signpost to other services in the Leeds area.

See Jigsaw's Visitor Centre at HMP Leeds for more information.

T: 0113 203 2771

A: Jigsaw Visitors Centre, C/O HMP Leeds, 2 Gloucester Terrace, Leeds, LS8 5AN

W: www.jigsawcharity.org

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Prisons · West Yorkshire

Overcrowding.

Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA): 641

Population: 1103

Leeds is a category B local prison, holding adult men on remand or who have received sentences. Built in 1847, it was formerly known as Armley Prison.

Read Leeds’ latest inspection report here. 

About this information

Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) is the prison service’s own measure of how many prisoners can be held in decent and safe accommodation. Any occupancy above CNA means that the prison in question is overcrowded.

Prisons in England and Wales fall into four separate security categories. Some prisons can operate under more than one category.

Category A : Category A prisons are high security prisons, holding those individuals considered the most threatening to the public should they escape. Category A prisons should not be overcrowded, given the high levels of security required.

Category B: Category B prisons, or local prisons, are the largest category of prison. They tend to hold un-sentenced prisoners, prisoners on remand awaiting trial, short-sentenced prisoners or those newly sentenced and awaiting transfer to another prison category. Category B prisons tend to be the most overcrowded, with a constantly churning population.

Category C: Category C prisons are sometimes called ‘training prisons’. They are meant to offer education and training to prisoners and the vast majority of prisoners on longer sentences will spend time in Category C accommodation. Historically not overcrowded, we now see more and more Category C prisons running overcrowded regimes.

Category D: Category D prisons offer open conditions and house those who can be reasonably trusted not to try to escape. Prisoners in Category D prisons will be given Release On Temporary Licence (ROTL) to work in the community or go on home leave, usually returning to the prison in the early evening. The majority of Category D prisoners will be towards the end of their sentence, and their period in open conditions is preparing them for their eventual release. Category D prisons tend not to be overcrowded.

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Armley Prison Leeds

Tel: 0113 203 2600  –  2 Gloucester Terrace, Stanningley Road, Leeds LS12 2TJ

HMP Leeds has an elaborate façade and the building itself dates back to 1847. The four wings of the prison are laid out in a classically Victorian radial style, and originally, the establishment was called Armley Jail, as it is located in the Armley area of the city. The prison has a capacity of 1,212 and is a category B adult male establishment. It claims to be firmly focused on supporting and resettling prisoners after they’ve served their sentence. If you’d like to find out how to get to HMP Leeds, please use the map on this page.

Tel: 0113 203 2600

Operational capacity: 1212

2 Gloucester Terrace, Stanningley Road, Leeds LS12 2TJ

Prison Phone have been helping inmates at HMP Leeds to maintain family contact by reducing the cost of calls from the PINS payphone system.

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Here’s some facts about Armley Prison Leeds

HMP Leeds is a category B men’s prison in the Armlet area of Leeds, West Yorkshire. Opened in 1847, the prison has capacity to hold 1212 inmates.

The prison has wings A-F, and an intermediate social care unit. A wing has the vulnerable prisoner unit, and the segregation unit on A1. B, C, E and F wings hold adult male convicted prisoners and those on remand. D wing is a recovery unit and the first night centre on D1. The intermediate social care unit holds men with identified social care needs that cannot be met in the main prison environment.

One wing at HMP Leeds was put on lockdown on the 9th August 2017 after a violent incident involving two prisoners. The wing was locked down for 45 minutes, and all prisoners in that wing were locked in their cells. This meant at least one court hearing was missed.

To view the latest HMIP inspection report, click here .

Visiting hours are 10:00 – 11:30, 14:00 – 15:00 & 15:30 – 16:30 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 09:00 – 10:00, 10:30 – 12:30, 14:00 – 15:00 & 15:30 – 16:30 Saturdays and Sundays.

There were 46 fires reported in the prison in 2016.

In 2013, HMP Leeds was awarded a Leaders in Diversity award, for their efforts to create an inclusive environment in the prison.

The Howard League for Penal Reform revealed that the prison had the highest rates of suicide in the UK, in 2005.

Prison Phone offers phone tariffs that reduce the costs of calls from this prison by up to 75%! This enables prisoners to get the support and love that they are missing from home, while reducing costs for the inmate. Find out more below.

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Visiting someone in prison

This page includes advice on how to book a prison visit, what to expect and how to get financial assistance for your visit.

How to book a visit

Which prison are they in, preparing for a visit, will i get searched, what happens during the visit, complaints about visits, financial assistance for visits.

You will need to book a visit for the person you’re going to see making sure you have their name, prison number and date of birth, this can be done through the Gov.uk website — https://www.gov.uk/prison-visits

You can also book visits by calling the prison directly.

If you are having difficulty booking a visit you can telephone the Prisoners’ Families Helpline  on 0808 808 2003 who will be able to give you advice about booking a visit. You will need to give them information about how long you have spent on the phone trying to book a visit.

If you don’t know where the person you want to visit is, you can email Prisoner Location Service who may be able to location your loved one — subject to conditions.

You should check that you know where you are going. You may want to arrive early, as there will be security to go through.

You will also need a photographic ID i.e. passport or driver’s licence for when you arrive at the prison.

You’ll be allowed to take some money with you to purchase some food and drinks from the prisons shop during the visit for you and the person you’re visiting. You can contact the prison to confirm the maximum amount you’re allowed to take to the visiting area.

You should be aware that you will not be able to hand property directly to the prison. If you would like to hand something in for the person you’re visiting, it would be useful to call the prison to ask if this is allowed to avoid disappointment.

Yes, your bags and pockets will be searched. You may also be given a rub down search and asked to open your mouth. All searches should be carried out in a polite and respectful way.

You will be allocated seats and you normally have to remain seated.

You can usually embrace at the beginning and end of the visit.

Officers will be present and may listen to your conversation.

You cannot usually smoke in the visits hall.

The rules for visiting should be clearly displayed in the prison. The visit can be refused or cut short if you break any of the prison visit rules. If you are a threat to prison security or are causing concern to other visitors, you may also find the visit is cut short or you are offered a closed visit.

Further information on visits this can be found below:

PSI 16/2011 Managing prison visits

Management of security at visits Policy Framework

Visitors should be treated professionally and with respect. If you feel you have been discriminated against or treated discourteously, you can write to the governor of the prison. The governor is expected to reply to you within 28 days. There is no formal complaints procedure for people visiting a prison.

More information on how to make a complaint and who to complain to should be displayed in the visits area of each prison.

You may be able to get help with the costs of visiting someone in prison. If you are a close relative, partner or the only visitor and have a low income, you should contact the Assisted Prison Visits Unit to see if you qualify for help.

More information and contact details can be found at https://www.gov.uk/help-with-prison-visits

HMP Leeds: Introduction

HMP Leeds, a notable Category B men’s prison in West Yorkshire, has a long and storied history dating back to 1847. Initially known as Armley Gaol, HMP Leeds now serves various courts in the region and is integral to the local criminal justice system.

History of HMP Leeds

HMP Leeds, originally Armley Gaol, was established in 1847 and has since become one of the UK’s most recognized correctional facilities. Its historic facade has long dominated the skyline of Armley, reflecting its significant role in the region’s judicial history​​​​.

Capacity and Infrastructure

HMP Leeds has the capacity to house up to 1,212 prisoners across its six residential units, a segregation unit, First Night Centre, and Vulnerable Prisoner Unit. The prison’s facilities include in-patient healthcare and comprehensive support services aimed at addressing inmates’ health and rehabilitative needs​​​​.

Prisoner Categorisation and Population

HMP Leeds is classified as a Category B local prison, primarily holding remand prisoners and those serving short sentences. This classification signifies that the prison is medium security, designed to house individuals who pose a high escape risk but do not require maximum security. The prison currently houses over 1,100 inmates, significantly exceeding its Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) of 641​​​​.

Location and Contact Information

Situated in the Armley area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, HMP Leeds is strategically located to serve the magistrates’ and crown courts across West Yorkshire and neighboring regions. The address is 2 Gloucester Terrace, Leeds, LS12 2TJ. For general enquiries, the prison can be contacted at 0113 203 2600​​​​.

Notable Incidents and Inmates

HMP Leeds has been the site of several notable incidents and housed various infamous inmates. The prison has a grim history of executions, with the last hanging occurring in 1961. Notable past inmates include Charles Bronson, Roy Chubby Brown, and Peter Sutcliffe​​​​.

Rehabilitation and Support Programs

A key focus at HMP Leeds is rehabilitation, providing various programs aimed at education, substance abuse treatment, and post-release support. The prison offers a Short Duration Drugs Programme and other health and lifestyle initiatives to prepare inmates for reintegration into society​​​​.

Overcrowding Issues

Like many UK prisons, HMP Leeds faces significant overcrowding challenges, operating at around 172% of its CNA. This overcrowding exacerbates the difficulties in managing the prison population and providing adequate care and rehabilitative services​​.

Community Impact and Employment

Despite its notorious reputation, HMP Leeds is a significant employer in the Armley area, providing jobs to numerous local residents. The prison’s presence has a substantial impact on the local economy and community dynamics​​.

Recent News and Developments

HMP Leeds continues to make headlines, often highlighting issues such as overcrowding, inmate welfare, and rehabilitation efforts. Recent reports focus on the improvements being made in education and support services for inmates to reduce reoffending rates​​​​.

Visiting HMP Leeds

Visiting arrangements at HMP Leeds are stringent, ensuring security while maintaining inmate contact with family and friends. Visits can be booked via telephone, and there are specific times allocated for visits each week

FAQs about HMP Leeds

What is the capacity of HMP Leeds? HMP Leeds can house up to 1,212 prisoners.

What category is HMP Leeds? HMP Leeds is a Category B prison.

Where is HMP Leeds located? HMP Leeds is located in the Armley area of Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Can I send money to an inmate at HMP Leeds? Yes, money can be sent via an online service or, in some cases, by post.

What kind of rehabilitation programs does HMP Leeds offer? HMP Leeds offers drug treatment programs, educational courses, and vocational training.

Who are some notable inmates who have been held at HMP Leeds? Notable inmates include Charles Bronson and Peter Sutcliffe.

What are the visiting hours at HMP Leeds? Visiting hours vary and need to be booked in advance, typically available on weekdays.

How old is HMP Leeds? HMP Leeds was established in 1847.

Is HMP Leeds overcrowded? Yes, HMP Leeds is significantly overcrowded, operating at around 172% of its Certified Normal Accommodation.

What type of prison is HMP Leeds? HMP Leeds is a local prison primarily for remand and short-sentence inmates.

Summary and Conclusion

HMP Leeds stands as a historic and significant facility within the UK’s prison system. Despite challenges such as overcrowding, it continues to play a crucial role in prisoner rehabilitation and community employment. For more detailed information about HMP Leeds, visit our other prison pages such as HMP Lancaster Farms

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Secure video calls with prisoners

How to book and make a secure video call with somebody in prison.

Applies to England and Wales

You can take part in a secure video call with a family member or friend in prisons in England and Wales.

Video calls last up to 60 minutes and can have up to 4 people on the call talking to a prisoner. All callers must be on the prisoner’s visitor list and the ‘main caller’ must be over 18. People under 18 can be on the video call, as long as they are on the prisoner’s visitor list.

Every adult prisoner and young person in custody is offered up to two 30-minute video calls or one 60-minute video call per month. The governor may allow additional calls for wellbeing reasons and in exceptional circumstances.

Video call security

You’ll need to follow the usual prison rules around what to wear and how to behave. Remember that all calls are recorded, and prison staff may view or listen to calls as they are happening. The call can be paused or ended if prison rules are not followed.

What you’ll need to make a video call

• Mobile phone or tablet – this service is not available using a computer
• An account with a secure video calling application
• Passport, driving license or another government-issued photo ID
• Proof of address (if your ID does not include this)
• The prisoner’s name, number and date of birth
• Names, dates of birth and addresses for everyone who would like to be on the video call

How to get set up for a video call

You need to use one of 2 apps to have a video call with someone in prison. The app you need to use will depend on the prison.

To find out which app is used by the prison you wish to call, please visit the relevant GOV.UK page for individual prisons .

Step 1: Download and install an app

Download the app being used at the prison.

You can download the Prison Video app via the Prison Video website and Purple Visits app via the Purple Visits website .

Both apps are free and also available from Google Play or the Apple App Store .

You will need to install the app on your phone or tablet.

Step 2: Create an account in the app and add everyone who will be on the call

To create an account on either app you will need to be over 18 years old and have a picture of your driving license, passport or other government-issued photo ID.

It can take up to 24 hours for your account to be verified.

Once verified, set up the call: You must include the names and dates of birth of everyone who will be on the video call. You will also need to upload ID for people over 18.

Finally, add the name of the person you want to want to have the video call with as a ‘contact’.

Step 3: Make a video call request

The exact process of booking a call will depend on the prison.

For some prisons, you will be able to select a possible date and time in the next 7 days in the app. In other prisons, staff will book a date and time following a request from the prisoner.

Either way, you’ll receive a confirmation email when your video call has been scheduled.

Step 4: Get set up for the video call

You need a reliable internet connection. Wi-Fi is recommended, but you can also use 3G or 4G mobile data.

You don’t need headphones for the video call, but it may help with the sound quality.

Step 5: Have the video call

You should open your app ahead of the scheduled video call time and be ready for the call to start. Call times are fixed and cannot be extended.

Calls will be paused if anyone:

• who is not booked on the call appears on the camera
• behaves in a way that would not be appropriate for a social prison visit
• tries to record the call or take a screenshot

If a call is paused, you will need to go through a security check before it can start again.

Tips for a successful video call

Keep the camera still.

Try to keep your phone or tablet as still as possible. It may be best to rest it against something.

Good lighting and a plain background

You must have the call in a private place rather than a cafe or public space. Make sure the room is well-lit. Uneven lighting, for example sunlight, can disrupt the way the system recognises faces.

It is best to sit in front of a plain wall. Pictures or patterns in the background may affect the camera being able to stay focused on your face.

Clear sight of everyone on the call

Make sure that your whole face – and the faces of any additional people – can be seen clearly.

If there are young children on the call, make sure they either look directly at the camera or else stay out of the picture.

The call may be paused if only part of a face or the back of a head can be seen.

Updates to this page

Added Welsh translation

Updated to reflect the change to free video calls

Secure video calls information has been updated.

Removed a line about a person's face needing to be in view of the camera at all times so the call doesn't pause. Linked to the prison directory instead of listing all prisons where calls are available.

Added more prisons where video calls are available.

Added to the list of prisons where secure video calls are available

Added prisons where video calls are available

Updated list of prisons offering secure video calls

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The #1 governor is Simon Walters  who has been in charge since March 2022, and the prison has a capacity of with a capacity of 1110.  It is part of the Yorkshire & Humberside Region and is run by HMPS

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Booking visits at hmp armley a real time waster, inside time reports.

• 1st December 2012

We here at HMP Armley (Leeds) have been complaining about the visits booking system for months but to no avail. It is so frustrating for family and friends to arrange to book a visit through the 2 phone numbers provided. Years ago when this prison was single-celled and only 700 prisoners were housed in Armley it only took a couple of hours to book a visit, but now that it is 2 to a cell, with over 1400 prisoners, it can take days to get through on the phone numbers provided. It recently took my mother 4 days of calling the visits numbers to get through, only to be told that the days she had off from work were booked up. Armley does have an email address to book visits but they also take days to return your message and when they do reply it’s a random date and time that suit them, not a big help to working family members and friends. Not many people have internet access, so it’s just the visit numbers we and many others can use. Editorial note;  We tried phoning the booking numbers for HMP Armley on successive days and were informed by automated voice that the phone booking system was ‘unavailable’. We also tried to email but found there was no working email available.  

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8 thoughts on “ Booking visits at HMP Armley a real time waster ”

Need. Visit

Staff are rude mostly the female staff . Try intimidating you and try anything to make it difficult . Sniggering amounst one another and it is the female staff . Phone line I a night more and they do put ot down if you manage to get threw after trying both the line opening hours. And all the while throwing there arms around letting everyone know how much they are stressed and can’t wait to get home . I think we’ll find a different job and stop making it hard for family’s to stay connected .

Dear Jane, this time of the year most of the staff are on holiday in the sun somewhere, drinking and relaxing

been on this phone 2 hours trying to book a visit..ring ring then engaged..are they purposely ignoring the phone

Absolutely disgusting. Ringing constantly. Either is engaged or nobody answers. Can’t they organise some kind of queuing system at least? Bloody diabolical in this age of supposed technology!

On Tues 14 July.I arrived at armley.prison for visit with my son A 0972ck simpson.I was treated appallingly by 1 of the staff I had a asthma episode asked for a drink and was told no it’sn my fault she

I know several people who have been in HM Hate Factory Armley recently. It is the unwritten policy at Armley to destroy family ties since they have been forced to implement resettlement programmes. The POA knows, destroy the family and it does not matter what programmes are implemented, the offender is likely to become a recidivist and return to prison, which is all the POA cares about, full prisons, plenty of screws, plenty of prisons, more power. Armley, a cockroach infested cesspit, destroying family ties wholesale.

Your staff treat people like **** at armley prison . they don’t do there job write , then wen u try call to book visit they anser phone an put it down .that’s wrong !!!

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Life in the shadows of Leeds Prison where residents keep their curtains closed

Residents living outside hm prison leeds spoke of how the 'eyesore' building can attract some unwelcome guests.

• 05:00, 9 OCT 2022
• Updated 08:33, 9 OCT 2022

Leeds residents have revealed what it’s like to live in the shadows of Leeds Prison.

HM Prison Leeds has been located on Gloucester Terrace in Armley since 1847. It’s the second highest category of a prison in the UK, Category B which means prisoners don’t require maximum security but escape needs to be made very difficult.

Residents who live mere yards away from the “eyesore” prison keep their curtains closed. They've said prisoner’s acquaintances tend to visit and shout over the towering wall and even set off fireworks on special occasions.

Read more: 'Dirty' Leeds takeaway with no working hand washing basin

The locals have also said they live in fear of antisocial quad bikers who rip up the communal green space as they seem to enjoy flagrantly disregarding the law so close to the high security prison wall. Nevertheless, the CCTV cameras, regular drones zooming over and patrols from the security make the residents feel more secure.

Shauni Wilmoth, 26, has been living there for four years and is originally from Pudsey. She earns an honest wage by arranging NHS referrals but feels like she has to keep her curtains closed.

Shauni said: “It’s noisier here, there’s usually people around causing bother. We usually hear people shouting into the prison, like just ‘hello’.

"Around Christmas time, we hear people shouting ‘Happy Christmas’ to people. I usually keep the curtains closed as you can see right into our house from the front.

“With all the cameras, I felt there’d be a lot less people causing bother. There’s cameras all around the prison, so it’s good on a security level.”

Kim Walker, 63, has lived there for ten years and went to the local school when she was a young child. The mother-of-three says prisoner’s family or friends sometimes go as far as setting off fireworks outside the prison walls.

Kim said: “Sometimes if they’ve got a friend or relative in the prison, and if it’s their birthday, Christmas or New Year they tend to stand outside and let off fireworks. We sometimes hear them shouting things. We get more trouble with the kids on their quadbikes.”

Speaking about her neighbours, the credit control supervisor Kim added: “It’s a really quiet, really nice street and everyone is really friendly and I think that’s because of the prison.

“For a start, we have a lot of security going around. When the prisoners are exercising, they send up drones and I do sometimes think there’s cameras we can’t even see. I do feel very safe. It’s just nice.”

Iris Cosgrove, 66, has lived beside the prison for 35 years and opened up about how she feels intimidated by the quad biking youths as she’s “not young and there’s usually quite a few of them”.

Iris said: “There’s CCTV cameras. But we do get a bit of trouble as well, we get quad bikers on the grass. We want boulders or something like that to keep them off.

“We get the odd shouting. The only other thing I can think of is travellers coming here for a funeral on the grass. It was such a mess, we all had to clear up afterwards.”

But she relents that: “Apart from it being the obvious eyesore, we’ve got the trees and cherry blossoms, it’s lovely around here.”

The mother of one, 31, has said during the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee weekend in June, the prisoners got involved in their neighbourhood bingo session which they were having as part of a street-part.

Iris says she tends to hear the prisoners playing football and they once even interrupted a neighbourhood game of bingo. Some of the prisoners were shouting “full house” and causing hysterics for the residents. Iris chuckled, “It’s not all bad, they can be quite amusing, everyone was laughing.”

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