A severe shortage of prison officers and increasing drugs use and violence are a growing concern for inspectors.

The Independent Monitoring Board’s (IMB) latest report into HMP Swaleside found rising levels of disruption.

This included, between May 2014 and April this year, 111 attacks prisoner on prisoner and 57 prisoner on staff, some of which were serious.

Findings at the category B prison, which has more than 1,100 inmates, were published in the same week five guards were injured following a disturbance, and a prisoner was found guilty of the brutal murder of a fellow inmate.

The violence has been linked to increased finds of drugs, weapons and mobile phones including a dramatic rise in the availability of the synthetic cannabis Spice which has caused several inmates severe mental health problems.

Drugs are now seem to be a major part of the trade behind the walls and debts incurred by prisoners have led to more of them seeking protection by being put into segregation.

The report states: “Many of the threats supposedly faced by prisoners allegedly emanate from so-called gangs. Some of these may be racially or religiously motivated but are also related to home areas of the country.”

Concerns over pressure being placed on prisoners to convert to Islam and evidence of extremism continues.

The IMB, made up of volunteers tasked with ensuring prisoners are treated with fairness and respect, urged prison minster Andrew Selous to look again at agreed staffing levels.

It noted those working on residential wings are under “extreme pressure”, which it said was not surprising given the uniformed staff is 46 under strength.

The shortage has been helped by the use of staff from other establishments and a bonus overtime system, it says.

Staff sickness levels average at 14.3 days off per employee over the year and the governor has introduced return to work interviews to improve the situation.

Hospital appointments continue to be cancelled due to the lack of escort staff, causing stress to prisoners and wasting NHS resources. There were three deaths in custody, two of which were natural causes and one which was a murder.

Chairman of Swaleside IMB, Barry Page, said: “The catalogue of problems should not detract from the fact that governors and staff are carrying out a thoroughly professional job and are achieving good progress.

“The communications to both staff and prisoners from the senior management team have been instrumental in achieving a largely acceptable environment and good working relationships.”