RIOTS which tore through the region's highest security prison causing £2 million-worth of damage could easily happen again, according to a senior Prison Service official.

Richard Tilt, the Service's director general, issued his stark warning about Full Sutton Prison, near York, after delivering his keynote address to the Service's annual conference in Harrogate.

Last January more than 100 prison officers struggled for 12 hours to restore peace to the York-area facility - one of only six similar establishments in the country - which has held numerous IRA terrorists.

Firefighters and ambulance crews were needed to help clear up the disturbance, which was blamed on mounting tensions.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening Press, Mr Tilt said although lessons were learned, it would be difficult to prevent a similar uprising.

"These things can happen from time to time in high security prisons. The inmates are not always friendly and we can expect similar occurrences.

"It does not mean anything is wrong, it is part of life in a high security facility."

But, he added, the present situation at the 604-inmate capacity jail, was far from volatile.

"The present state of Full Sutton is good with a positive atmosphere, it is being run extremely well. But I understand this can change at any moment and I could be called and told there is a problem. We do our best to make sure it does not happen, but it could come out of the blue."

Earlier Mr Tilt had told other senior prison officials, who will today be addressed by Home Secretary Jack Straw, of a £3 million project to improve facilities nationwide and revealed plans to increase capacities to cope with swelling inmate numbers.

These, he claimed would, benefit establishments in both North and East Yorkshire, which deserved improvements.

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