An inquiry is under way after inmates managed to take over almost all of Lincoln Prison during a riot.

Prisoners managed to overpower a guard and smash their way into various parts of the jail before setting part of it alight on Tuesday.

A total of 27 prisoners needed hospital treatment after they raided drugs from the pharmacy.

It took prison officers and police about eight hours to take back control of the jail.

Martin Narey said he was proud of staff

The Director-General of the Prison Service Martin Narey said he was very proud of prison staff who dealt with the trouble.

Guards were drafted in from 17 other prisons to help tackle the situation which began on A wing on Tuesday night.

However, Mr Narey dismissed allegations that the disturbance was triggered by severe overcrowding.

At the height of the emergency about 300 police from Lincolnshire, Humberside and Cambridgeshire were involved in securing the perimeter of the jail.

Prisoners moved

Speaking outside the prison, Mr Narey said inmates had managed to break their way into almost every part of the prison.

He said: "At one point, the prisoners did have access to most parts of the prison and my staff retreated.

"As soon as I had enough staff here to go back into the prison we moved in.

"We gained control. I'm very proud of the staff."

Prisoners will now be moved to other jails.

Laundry fire

Firefighters were called to the jail to tackle flames which spread through the laundry and other parts of the site.

Sub Officer Ken Baker, from Lincolnshire Fire Service, said: "Fire damage was not great, it was small fires, mostly in bedding.

"The largest fire was in the laundry room in a linen cupboard.

"Five pumps were called to the scene and three aerial platforms were used for the roof area."