PRESTON Prison has been revealed as the most overcrowded in England and Wales, holding 78 per cent more prisoners than is acceptable.

Preston topped the list of packed prisons following an enquiry by the Prison Reform Trust. The study also revealed that 125 people out of every 100,000 were behind bars.

Alan Scott, Preston Prison governor, said: "We currently have one wing closed for refurbishment so we have had to double up in other wings.

"In many ways the regime we offer has improved and the prison has been developed -- inmates have more time out of cells and we have an improved induction programme and we do a lot more to address offending behaviour."

He added: "So although we are overcrowded we are better and doing more to prepare prisoners for their release."

But Juliet Lyon, Prison Reform Trust director, said: "No-one in a civilised society should stand by as prison numbers spiral out of control and overcrowding threatens to undermine to reform of our neglected public services."

She added: "The higher the number of socially-excluded people, the lower the chances of reducing re-offending and the more ashamed we should be of society's failure to use prison as a last resort."