Officers hurt in exercise at scandal-hit Oakwood Prison
A training session at a prison that serves Shropshire went disastrously wrong - after two prison officers suffered serious injuries.
One dislocated his shoulder while the other broke an arm while practising control and restraint techniques at trouble-torn HMP Oakwood.
It is the latest embarrassment for the £150 million jail, the biggest in the UK, which replaced Shrewsbury's Dana jail.
The trainee instructor with the broken arm faces an operation to have a metal plate fitted, according to sources at the prison.
The jail, alongside the M54 close to the Shropshire border at Featherstone, was recently criticised in an official report and was at the centre of a demonstration last week in which inmates protested on the roof.
G4S, the company which runs Oakwood, today confirmed the staff injuries, which happened during the exercise on Friday.
In a statement, it said: "Officers at Oakwood are required to undertake training in the correct use of control and restraint techniques before they can work in the prison.
"One of the participants informed the instructors of a pre-existing injury and was advised if he chose to take part it would be at his own risk."
The statement added: "Unfortunately the injury was aggravated during the training and the officer withdrew.
"A separate injury happened when a trainee instructor landed awkwardly, resulting in a fracture to his arm.
"Injuries of this nature are very rare, but control and restraint training is not without risk, and accidents can and do happen, even where all the correct procedures are followed.
"Both officers are receiving the best care and we wish them a speedy recovery."
A damning report into the G4S prison recently revealed criminals abused drugs and alcohol at the jail that has been dubbed 'Jokewood'.
Inmates told inspectors during a surprise visit that it was easier to get their hands on drugs than soap, with one in seven inmates allegedly developing a drug problem while inside.
The chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick called the findings "very concerning" and ordered the prison to improve.
It was the third report in two months to criticise the jail which has 1,600 category C prisoners and opened in April 2012.
