Inmates at an Edinburgh prison want cats to be brought back into the jail to deal with its mice infestation.
The Daily Record reports that Saughton Prison is being over run by mice with calls for fresh thinking to deal with the problem.
Cats were once a common sight in prisons, but inmates have taken to barricading the bottom of their cell doors in a bid to keep the vermin out.
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Inmates want cats to be reintroduced to bring the problem back under control after pest control workers were unable to deal with it.
But prison bosses in the Scottish Prison Service say they have no plans to reintroduce jailhouse cats.
A prison source told the Record: “The mouse problem is really bad. They’re seen scurrying around all the time.
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“It’s especially bad just now because prisoners are in their cells for most of the day due to coronavirus safety measures.
“The prison has done various things to try to solve the problem but now inmates are wanting cats to be allowed in.
“A few cats could deal with the issue pretty quickly. They would be a popular addition.”
Food waste is believed to be attracting the mice.
