The prison was devastated during last year's riot

John Webster from the Independent Monitoring Board for HMP Lincoln said prisoners being housed a long way from home and overcrowding are still pressures throughout the country.

He said the riot at Lincoln last October actually made those pressures worse because many prisoners had to be moved to other jails.

The most badly-damaged wing of the prison remains closed while contractors continue refurbishing it.

Prison wrecked

Mr Webster said: "Part of the problem was the fact the prison population in the country was very high and inmates were often in a location a long way from their homes which made communication with family and friends very difficult.

"If you are 250 miles away from your family, who might see you once a month for whatever reasons, it doesn't lead to a contented state of mind."

One wing of the prison is still being repaired following the damage

The riot saw more than 150 prisoners go on the rampage wrecking parts of the prison.

One prisoner, Lee Blake, 37, of Scunthorpe, later died from a drugs overdose.

Mr Webster said little had changed for the prisoners in the four months since.

"As I see it, throughout the whole prison estate there is still this problem because of the large number of people in prison.

"Just one incident isn't going to cure this at a stroke.

"In fact the riot made it worse because, on the morning after the riot, 150 inmates had to be immediately shipped out because there was no accommodation for them.

"It will take a long time to redress and get it right."

A Prison Service inquiry into the riot is expected to be completed soon.