Staff from a west London prison, once described as England's most violent, "withdrew to a place of safety" due to welfare concerns this week.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed to getwestlondon that a number of staff had withdrawn from HMYOI Feltham on Monday (February 6).

The move came after "welfare concerns" which saw staff move to a "place of safety" within the prison, before returning to work later in the day.

MoJ said there was no danger to staff or prisoners, but the ministerial department did not detail what the concerns were.

A spokesman said: "A number of staff at HMYOI Feltham withdrew to a place of safety within the prison on Monday 6 February due to welfare concerns.

"There was no danger to staff or prisoners and the prison quickly returned to operating a normal regime."

The prison, where young offenders are held, was found to be the most violent prison in England and Wales following an investigation by the Sunday People last year.

There were 894 attacks by inmates against guards or each other at the Bedfont Road jail in 2015, the most from any in England and Wales that year.

One of the attacks was so serious a prisoner received official punishment, and it was reported officers were struggling to separate 48 gangs of teenage inmates from fighting.

The figures were obtained by the Sunday paper through a Freedom of Information request.

According to MoJ, the prison has a capacity for 210 "Young People", aged between 15 and 18 who are sentenced and remanded.

It also has a capacity for 340 "Young Adults", sentenced people between the ages of 18 and 21.

Following the release of the figures, Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League, a charity aiming to "transform prisons", said: "Prisons have become violent, drug-ridden and dangerous as more men are crammed in fewer establishments and staff have been cut by 40%.

"Young men with nothing to do all day but lie on a filthy bunk in a cramped, fetid cell with an open toilet become stir crazy.

"Prisons don’t provide enough food or exercise or support people with mental health or drug addiction problems. But somehow they expect young men to behave like model citizens."

MoJ said at the time of the Sunday Mirror investigation:"The safety and security of those who work and live in prisons is central to prison reform. We are committed to reducing violence.

"We are investing £1.3billion to modernise and have responded to staffing pressures with a national increase of 530 officers since January last year.

"We take a zero tolerance approach to drugs."

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