The prison officer who was stabbed during riots at HMP Swaleside is believed to have come from Deal.

The civil servant, who we are not naming, was slashed across the face with a blade during a major disturbance at the Eastchurch site on Friday evening. He has been discharged from hospital.

The riot - which saw prisoners setting fire to rooms and protesting on the roof of the building - has sparked fresh calls for the Ministry of Justice to review staffing levels.

Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the number of prison officers at the jail has been cut by a quarter in the last four years.

The injured officer was taken to hospital after the air ambulance was called.

"We've told management, we've told them about the pressure faced by staff but they haven't listened" - Peter McPartlin, Prison Officers Association

The trouble involved two prisoners who climbed onto netting that is strung between walkways to catch items being thrown to the ground.

A spokesman from the Ministry of Justice said it was an "isolated incident" and was resolved by 10.30pm. Both prisoners were put in segregation. Other prisoners were confined until the situation was brought under control.

The disturbance follows criticism last week from HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The report blamed staff shortages for a variety of problems in the category B jail. Assaults on staff and inmates were among the problems highlighted.

The number of weapons found in the prison was another cause of concern in a report by an Independent Monitoring Board.

Peter McParlin, national chairman of the Prison Officers Association, said the prison service is under immense pressure due to staffing shortages.

"We've told management, we've told them about the pressure faced by staff but they haven't listened," he said.

Gordon Henderson, MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, has raised the issue in Parliament.