Inmates have been removed from Sheppey’s HMP Elmley as the Ministry of Justice aims to avoid trouble at the prison over the festive season.

It is understood up to 150 prisoners have been relocated to other jails across the country.

Christmas is usually a difficult time for prisons, with inmates unsettled by not being able be close to their families.

The news comes after it was revealed last week that officers from as far away as Preston will be brought in over the Christmas period to cover staff absence at Kent prisons including Elmley and nearby Swaleside.

Plans seen by the Howard League for Penal Reform (HLPR) indicate more than 230 prison officers nationwide are being asked to work in other jails in the run-up to the festive season.

A specific document outlines staffing cover on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

A total of 26 officers have been transferred to Elmley, and 16 moved to Swaleside.

It follows a damning HM Inspectorate of Prisons report earlier this year which found Elmley was seriously understaffed and had suffered a rise in rates of assault and drug abuse.

There have been nine prisoner suicides recorded so far this year.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We have stepped up support for staff at Elmley prison over the last six months.

“Additional officers have been deployed and a number of prisoners moved out on a temporary basis to help provide a more stable environment.

“Permanent recruitment is underway and the prison will continue to receive specialist support until vacancies are filled to maintain a safe and decent regime at HMP Elmley.”

Mike Rolfe from the Prison Officers' Association welcomed the news but said it was only a "short-term solution" to the site's problems.

He said: "It's going to reduce the prison population at a time where there's been a lot of incidents in Elmley.

"As a union we've been asking for overcrowding to be eased - it's not healthy cramming three prisoners in a cell designed for two or one.

"We spend a lot of our time moving prisoners from cell to cell because they fall out and because of the disgusting conditions.

"But this is only short-term solution for Elmley's current crisis."

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