The charity wants to see prison populations reduced

Three of them were female inmates at New Hall Prison, near Wakefield, contributing to a figure of 14 women who killed themselves in prisons nationally.

Tony Ellis, director of operations for New Hall Jail, told BBC Radio Leeds that tackling suicide was a top priority.

"The death of a prisoner impacts on everybody within the establishment," he said.

"Our concern is when we do have one, like-minded prisoners might try the same way out and we've got to do all we can to avoid that."

Strategies realised

As well as the three women who died at New Hall, two male inmates committed suicide at Leeds Prison.

Nationally, 94 prisoners died in custody.

Anita Dockley, assistant director at the Howard League, described the situation as "shameful", and said it was made worse by an increasing prison population.

And she urged the government to act to reduce the number of people behind bars.

"The number of prison suicides will only fall when the numbers in prison are radically reduced and the strategies for dealing with suicide and self-harm are properly realised."