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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Cathy Owen

Inmates at one of Wales' biggest prisons were locked down for 23 hours on Christmas Day

Inmates at one of Wales' biggest prisons were locked down for 23 hours on Christmas Day, it has been confirmed.

Parc Prison in Bridgend is on what is described as a severely restricted regime because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The privately-run jail in Wales operated by G4S, has 824 members of staff and 1,652 prisoners.

Gyms are shut in all Welsh prisons and the current Level 4 restrictions in place in Wales mean that no visits are allowed.

But prison operators have said that inmates were offered Christmas lunch and dinner options were available to all inmates.

Janet Wallsgrove, Director of HMP Parc, said: "The safety and wellbeing of our staff and the people in our care is paramount. We have regular discussions with Public Health Wales on best practice, and we are following all national government guidance.

"We are proud of the way all our dedicated staff have responded to these challenging times."

Work and education centres at prisons in Wales have also been closed.

In November, more than a dozen prison staff at the prison were self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.

Thirteen members had coronavirus and one prison had tested positive.

Face coverings were introduced to the prison for prisoners and staff in October after Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service guidance was updated.

WalesOnline submitted a freedom of information request to all the prisons in Wales asking for their festive meal plans.

The menus for each facility reveal catering options for vegetarian, vegan, and halal diets with special dinners served on Christmas Day and also on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

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