AN arsonist serving an indefinite sentence is under investigation over a diary of prison life posted on social networking site Facebook.

Brendan Rawsthorn, 25, of Blackburn, started a blaze which caused £200,000 of damage at a company in Darwen.

But the diary, which has been attributed to him, paints a picture of prison being far from a punishment.

The webpage says he spends his days with his feet up, enjoying lie-ins and getting drunk on home brew.

It says he is a 'down to earth jail bird' who is 'Doing time for the Queen! Making money!'

One post says: "Made a nice chocolate cake today I ate it all to myself! I now regret not sharing it, because I feel sick!"

Another says: "All day is playing on my PlayStation and listening to music with my feet up, drinking prison home brew. I was p****d."

Rawsthorn also appears to claim he had a warning for selling drugs and had a phone taken off him following a search of his cell.

The homepage, under the profile name 'Brendan Blows', features photographs taken of him and his friends in his cell.

The Facebook page, which has been running since the end of October, has 43 ‘friends'.

Officials at Category C prison HMP Wolds, near Hull, East Yorkshire, have now launched an investigation after the Lancashire Telgraph alerted them to the site.

The prison confirmed the pictures showed Rawsthorn in his cell.

G4S, which privately manages the adult male prison under contract to the Home Office, said it was investigating how Rawsthorn had apparently been able to update Facebook from his cell.

A G4S spokesman said: “We thank the Lancashire Telegraph for bringing this matter to our attention. We are in the process of investigating."

It is suspected that Facebook page was updated via a mobile phone.

The G4S spokesman said: "It is an criminal offence to have a mobile phone in prison."

“We are committed to stopping mobile phones from entering our prisons and have a range of security measures in place to detect contraband.

"Mobile phones have become smaller through advancing technology and therefore have become increasingly difficult to detect.

“If we receive intelligence that there maybe a mobile phone in any of our prisons, then we take immediate action."

A spokesman for Facebook said Rawsthorn was not violating any of its terms of use just by having a profile and that it was an issue for the Ministry of Justice and Prison Service.

But Barry Mizen, the father of 16-year-old schoolboy Jimmy Mizen murdered in London in May 2008, has set up Families United along with relatives of Ben Kinsella, Damilola Taylor, Rob Knox and David Idowu to campaign on the issue.

They are calling for more regulation of social networking sites after Jimmy was insulted on Twitter and Facebook by his killer.

Mr Mizen said: “The person who killed my son called him a pathetic loser on Twitter. That was hard to take.

“Our stance is that these sites have to take more responsibility.

“We’ve had a meeting with Jack Straw who was very empathetic to us and serious about what he wants to do to help.

“We want to bring some pressure to bear for better co-operation so the sites regulate themselves.”

The Facebook activity was reported to the Lancashire Telegraph by a concerned Blackburn resident who said: “It is just unreal how someone who has been jailed is allowed that kind of freedom.

"It is really taking the mickey.

"If the prison finds out he has a phone in his cell, he should get more time.”

The Ministry of Justice said it was 'extremely concerned' at our findings and insisted serving prisoners should only have access to the internet for educational purposes, when access is closely monitored by staff.

Access to social networking sites is prohibited in jails, the spokesman said.

Justice Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "I have sought the assistance of Facebook to have these profiles removed and we will continue to press for removal of these whenever we find them or whenever they are drawn to our attention.

"I am also hoping to meet with Ofcom, Facebook, victims' representatives and other government departments with an interest in this area to identify a solution to what is an issue of considerable concern to myself, victims and their families, and many members of the public.

"We will not hesitate to refer to the police any published material that appears to breach the law."

A Prison Service spokesperson said they were 'robust techniques' to stop mobile phones getting into prisoners' hands, including rub down searches, metal detectors and x-ray machines.

Rawsthorn was locked up in 2006 after starting a fire at a builder’s merchants in Queen Street, Darwen, which caused £200,000 of damage.

Darwen Building and Timber Supplies was gutted, with HGVs wrecked.

When he was arrested in Scarborough, he threatened police with three Samurai swords. Officers had to use pepper spray to restrain him.

Rawsthorn was given an indeterminate sentence for public protection on November 24, 2006 for offences of arson, criminal damage and assault.

He received 18 months concurrent for affray in Scarborough in August 2006, plus three months concurrent for wasting police time.

That charge related to Rawsthorn phoning police to falsely claim someone responsible for the July 2005 London bombings ran a shop in Hindle Street, Darwen.

Brendan Blows' prison diary

October 31, 11.47pm
"A big fat 'sted head' got knocked out in the gym today. He was out cold for three mins! By one of my pals."

November 3, 10.47pm
"Jail is s**t. All I've been doing all day is playing on my PlayStation and listing to music with my feet up, drinking prison home brew. I was p****d but it's started to wear off now."

November 9, 10.14pm
"Everything has gone wrong for me this week I got another security warning on my file for 'selling drugs', so the screws say! Anyway this morning I got a cell search and lost a phone. And to top that off my stereo blew up! Apart from that, life's s**t hot in jail. Ha ha."

November 14, 11.18pm
"Made a nice chocolate cake today. I ate it all to myself! I now regret not sharing it, because I feel sick! lol. England lost. I can't believe it, they're useless."

November 24, 10.28pm
"Had some good news today! I could be in open prison some time early next year! Can't wait to go to open prison. Sex, sex, sex."

December 1, 1.45am
"Started a new job today I only have to work in the afternoons. So I get a lie-in every morning! So I'm staying up late tonight and messing around on the Internet. Ha ha if you've got to get up early in the morning."

December 4, 9.39pm
"The screws are walking about there clamping down on people with phones so got to stay one step ahead and try not to get caught at least until after Christmas! lol."

January 3, 10.49pm
Jail's s***! Can't wait to get out. I'm starting to forget what it's like to be free."

January 4, 10.17pm
"I'm living in a life of make believe, in a world full of pain hiding from reality. In a position which would drive any other man insane."