Bedlam at Bedford Prison: Up to 200 prisoners 'with knives and coshes' seen celebrating during riots as jail becomes the second prison in six weeks to be overrun amid protests over 'mistreatment' 

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This is footage from inside a prison riot, where prisoners are seen celebrating victoriously on the wing after up to 200 inmates overran parts of the jail.

The footage, taken from a mobile phone smuggled into the prison, shows inmates at HMP Bedford raising their hands in triumph after guards 'abandoned' their posts.

Late this evening, there were reports of explosions or 'gunfire' heard from inside the prison as specialist security teams swarmed outside in a bid to regain control. 

This is footage from inside a prison riot, where prisoners are seen celebrating victoriously on the wing after taking over parts of the jail

The footage, taken from a mobile phone smuggled into the prison, shows inmates at HMP Bedford raising their hands in triumph after guards were forced to withdraw

The footage shows dozens of inmates on an upper floor of the prison, gathered together at the top of a staircase in chaotic scenes at HMP Bedford

A source, claiming to be an inmate, says that prisoners have looted guards' offices, set fires, and are wandering the wings carrying blades.

The insider said: 'Prisoners are walking around with knives and coshes.

'They've nicked mobile phones out of the office, everything’s been smashed. The police are outside and all the guards have left the prison.'

The inmate said tonight's riot broke out amid heightened tension because the wardens cut 'association time', with prisoners now being fed in their cells 'like dogs'.

At around 9pm a team of prison officers in riot gear arrived at the front of jail, with more waiting outside, after reports inmates had taken control of wardens' batons.

Olga Norford, editor of local Milton Keynes Citizen, tweeted: 'Another four or five sets of loud bangs which sound like gunfire coming from inside prison grounds.'

Officials say the issue was finally resolved at around 11.30pm, although questions for the authorities remain after prisoners claimed that poor conditions were to blame. 

It is the second British jail to fall victim to riots over conditions within six weeks after prisoners 'went on a rampage' in a six-hour stand-off at HMP Lewes, Sussex. 

It was claimed today that prisoners were angry because staff shortages meant that inmates were left confined to their cells for long periods of time. 

The riot comes weeks after the jail was slammed by prison watchdogs, who said it was easier to get drugs than bedsheets in an inspection report.

Standards at the prison had deteriorated to 'unacceptable' levels, with 14 per cent of inmates admitting to developing a drug problem inside the prison, the report says. 

It comes after the head of the POA Mike Rolfe last week warned British jails have been engulfed by a 'bloodbath'.

Labour's shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said today: 'More troubling news concerning our prisons.

'The Justice Secretary needs to do more urgently to tackle crisis.' 

Dilly Hussain, deputy editor of Muslim news website 5Pillars, told MailOnline that a friend inside the prison said that mistreatment of two inmates had sparked the riot.

Up to 200 prisoners are thought to be involved in the riot, which forced guards to withdraw to a 'safe place' while police were called for assistance at around 5pm

Emergency services including police and paramedics were called to Category B HMP Bedford in the town centre

More than a dozen police cars were seen outside the jail today and it is believed they have not yet gone into the wings to take back control

Mr Hussain, who was sent a video by his friend, said: 'It was down to two cases of mistreatment but all it talks is a spark and inmates capitalise on that to wreak havoc.

'It begs the question as to whether it is conducive to have people locked up for 23 hours a day, with some very basic provisions not provided for them.' 

Another video reveals an inmate breaking a window with a large plank being used as a makeshift battering ram amid chaotic scenes in the jail. 

Further footage, also filmed on a mobile phone, shows the ground floor of a wing covered in broken furniture and debris as inmates cheer from the floor above.

The video was shared by Tommy Robinson, founder of the far-right organisation the English Defence League, who served a sentence at the jail.

The sheer volume of footage that has emerged since the riot started shows the true extent to which prisoners ignore rules prohibiting mobile phones.

Mr Hussain, who says he never replies when contacted by people inside prisons to respect the law, says that mobile phone usage is widespread.

'They may be prohibited but everyone knows that it is as easy to get access to drugs and mobile phones inside a prison as it is on the street,' he said.

Officials today said that those involved would be punished with longer sentences, although a source in the prison claimed they could not be caught because CCTV cameras were smashed in the chaos.

Describing the scenes, the insider told The Sun: 'It just happened out of the blue. They were doing everything they could just to cause trouble and try to take over.

'The guards all ran away and didn’t want to do what they are paid to. All the cameras ere smashed so there’s no chance that anyone will be caught.'

A relative of another inmate said he feared for the prisoner’s safety after he made a panicked phone call during the violence.

The Prison Officers Association (POA) said today some guards had retreated to 'safe place' and national teams of riot-trained officers had been deployed

‘It started mid-afternoon. He told me prisoners have got hold of batons from the guards,’ the relative said.

‘They have evacuated all the wings. Some prisoners are outside their cells and have started fires on several levels of the prison. Parts are totally trashed.

'The prison guards have totally lost control. I know this is something that has been brewing for some time and no-one has done anything about it.’

Up to 200 prisoners are thought to be involved in the riot, which forced guards to withdraw to a 'safe place' while police were called for assistance at around 5pm. 

Emergency services including police and paramedics were called to Category B HMP Bedford in the town centre.

More than a dozen police cars were seen outside the jail today and it is believed they have not yet gone into the wings to take back control. 

Mr Gillan said: 'The POA has been warning about this situation of violence in our prisons - it would appear it's coming to fruition.

'I just hope there's no prisoners or indeed prison officers injured in the violence.'

Greg Chappell, who lives nearby, said that he saw around 13 police cars crowded around the prison

THE JAIL WHERE IT'S EASIER TO GET DRUGS THAN BEDSHEETS 

Just weeks ago Bedford Prison was slammed as an ‘abject failure’ amid spiralling violence, self-harm and drug abuse. 

HMP Bedford, which has been on its current site since 1801, currently holds around 500 inmates, according to a HM Inspectorate of Prisons report in September.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke said standards have decline to ‘unacceptable levels’ with illegal drugs easier to obtain than clothes or sheets. 

The former top counter terrorism officer found prisoners living in crowded and cramped conditions.

There had also been a dramatic increase in levels of self-harm, and the number of inmates saying they had developed a drug problem.

A survey found the number of prisoners saying it was easy or very easy to get drugs had almost doubled since the last inspection of the jail in February 2014.

The number saying they had developed a drug problem while at the prison increased from 4 per cent to 14 per cent.

The HMP inspection in May also found that the physical condition of the prison was poor, with many inmates living in cramped conditions.

The report detailed damaged furniture, graffiti, shortages of clothing and dirty, unscreened showers.

'Arrangements for managing violent and bullying behaviour and supporting victims were weak,' the report said.

Last week Justice Minister Liz Truss announced she would be drastically reforming the prison service, pledging an extra 2,500 officers to staff our jails.

Government ministers have faced increasingly dire warnings from prison staff that they face a dangerous crisis.

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said on Twitter: 'More troubling news concerning our prisons. The Justice Secretary needs to do more urgently to tackle crisis.'

The riot at HMP Bedford (pictured) comes after the head of the POA Mike Rolfe last week warned British jails have been engulfed by a 'bloodbath'

The Prison Officers Association (POA) said today some guards had retreated to 'safe place' and national teams of riot-trained officers had been deployed.

Steve Gillan, POA general secretary, said: 'We do know there's concerted ill-discipline if not a riot situation going on in Bedford.

'There could be anything up to 200 prisoners involved. We don't know how many are out of the cells, some are still locked up.

'Prison officers on the landings have withdrawn to a safe place, so prisoners are out in large numbers.

Paramedics were on hand to deal with any potential casualties (pictured)

'We don't know if it will turn into a full scale riot as these things can turn very quickly.'

The Ministry of Justice said it had no reports of any prison officers being injured in the disturbance.

A spokesman said: 'Specialist staff are on site trying to resolve the situation as quickly and safely as possible.

'This is very much an ongoing incident.'

Greg Chappell, who lives nearby, said that he saw around 13 police cars crowded around the prison. 

A police spokeswoman said: 'Bedfordshire Police is currently assisting HMP Bedford following reports of unrest within the prison.

'We were called shortly before 5pm and have a number of officers at the scene working with prison staff to resolve the issue.'

It was reported that prisoners started a riot and have taken over parts of the category B prison.

A Prison Service spokesman said: 'Specially trained staff are working with the emergency services to resolve an ongoing incident involving a number of prisoners at HMP Bedford.

'We are absolutely clear that prisoners who behave in this way will be punished and could spend significantly longer behind bars.'

Ambulance and fire services are also on standby outside the prison.

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: 'We are at the scene on standby at this stage. It's an on-going incident. We are not in the prison.'