An inspection of a detention centre for children has been rated inadequate with the management of serious incidents in decline and children being put at risk.

A report by Ofsted regulators found the use of force at scandal-hit Medway Secure Training Centre in Rochester had increased dramatically with staff inflicting pain, a practice they describe as "unacceptable and should be ceased immediately".

KMTV report on the damning inspection

Over the last six months there have been 359 incidents of using physical restraint and 115 in September alone.

There have also been a hike in the number of assaults on staff, some of which were "very serious" and needing hospital treatments.

But the inspectors found the children's education and learning was "good" with the vast majority securing a school or college placement on release. Local companies have also offered support and qualifications including the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme were encouraged.

Healthy lifestyles are promoted with activities ranging from football, boxing, basketball, arts, crafts and music.

Staff put thought and effort into good, quality time family days and children generally felt safe.

At the time of the five-day inspection in October, there were 29 children - aged between 12 to 18 years. A third are serving custodial sentences of four years or more.

Ofsted was concerned that on occasions the unit's healthcare team were overruled by centre staff over whether a child who had self-harmed needed to go to hospital.

Criticism was made over the backlog of "use of force" incidents and it was recommended that expert staff reviewed this immediately.

The level of bullying was unacceptable and victims should be given good support, the report says.

The imminent closure of the centre at the end of March, staff vacancies and sickness had impacted on long-term plans.

"Given safety is our priority, this is a disappointing report and we need to do more..."' Ministry of Justice spokesman Thomas Channon

The previous inspection was in December last year when it was given a "requires improvement to be good" rating.

Allegations of child abuse were unveiled during an inquiry report released in February about the facility.

It was announced last year the youth custody service in Sir Evelyn Road is to be replaced by the first of the government's new secure schools. The new £5 million school, run by a head teacher, is set to open on the same site by the end of next year in an £8.5m contract.

Thomas Channon, a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, said: "Medway holds some of the most challenging young people in the country and our staff work tirelessly to keep them safe. But given safety is our priority, this is a disappointing report and we need to do more.

"We have acted quickly to introduce a new rapid review process for every use of restraint and the independent review we commissioned into the use of pain-inducing techniques will be published in the new year, alongside the actions we will take as a result.

"Medway will close in the spring so the site can be transformed into the first ever secure school, representing a major step towards our commitment to putting education at the heart of youth custody."

The school was previously run by G4S from 1998 to 2016 when a BBC Panorama documentary uncovered violence taking place against youths inside the centre.

Last year, a review found opportunities were missed to prevent abuse taking place at the centre.

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