Inmates burned down large parts of an open prison during a New Year's Day riot after staff claimed they refused to be breathalysed for smuggled alcohol.
Prison warders were forced to abandon HMP Ford for several hours yesterday as inmates went on the rampage, taking control of the jail and causing millions of pounds worth of damage.
Throughout the day the authorities found themselves struggling to regain control of the situation.
The disturbances prompted claims by the Prison Officers Association (POA) that the prison had been left understaffed and hardened criminals allocated there.
The violence at the Category D men's prison, near Arundel, in West Sussex, broke out in B wing at around midnight on Friday, when around 40 prisoners began smashing windows and setting off fire alarms.
The disturbances intensified when inmates set fire to accommodation and facility blocks, forcing prison warders to evacuate.
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