The reports says few women offenders are a real risk to the public

The Prison Reform Trust (PRT) says overcrowding at Newton Hall jail near Durham is a cause for concern.

The prison is named as one of the most overcrowded women's jails in the country.

The PRT says nationally the number of women in jail this week was 4,477, beating the previous highest total by 32.

The trust says almost half of the 17 female prisons in England and Wales are overcrowded, adding that few women offenders are a "real risk" to the public.

The number of women inmates has soared 40% in five years, but re-offending figures from 1998 showed 52% still committed a crime within two years of release, according to the PRT.

'Removed from prisons'

A spokesman said: "For all but the most serious and violent offenders, support and supervision centres in local communities offer the best chance for women offenders to get out of trouble and take responsibility for their lives."

The Youth Justice Board has already recommended that all young girls be removed from prisons in England and Wales by the end of the year.

But the board says its plan to move girls aged 16 and younger was being frustrated by an increase in the number of teenagers being jailed.

Support group Women in Prisons has said the problem of overcrowding at women's prisons like Nerwton Hall, lay with judges and magistrates jailing too many women for minor offences.

It said many female criminals turned to crime because of drug habits, debt and poor mental health, "which prison would only exacerbate".