SATURDAY afternoon footballers in the York area are no shrinking violets, and well used to plenty of physical action out on the pitch.

But even some of them might blanch a little at the prospect of mixing it with players from Full Sutton FC - HM Full Sutton Prison FC, that is.

Inmates at the high-security jail near Stamford Bridge have included infamous murderers - from serial killer Dennis Nilsen to mass murderer Jeremy Bamber - and even Al Qaeda suspects such as Abu Qatada.

Local footballers from the Leeper Hare League used to play there in the early 1990s - although it is thought unlikely that high-profile prisoners like serial killers were among the inmates taking part - before the arrangement was scrapped because of security concerns.

But now the prison may look again at reintroducing sporting fixtures against people from the local community.

Writing in her recent report on Full Sutton, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, said she recommended in 2003 that it should "review the security implications of involving the local community in prison sporting activities, with a view to reintroducing some community links."

But she said that on her recent unannounced visit to the jail, it emerged that this had not happened.

"The establishment did not belong to any community sporting leagues, nor did any volunteer groups come into the prison," she said. "We repeat the recommendation."

The Home Office said today that local community teams used to play at the prison until the sports field was closed for security reasons.

However, more secure all-weather sporting facilities were currently under construction, and once these had been completed, the prison would look again at community teams playing there - although security considerations would still apply.

Chris Dale, a committee member on the Leeper Hare League, said he understood that playing at Full Sutton had involved some tremendous security for players.

One complication had been that players' names had had to be submitted quite a long way in advance, and sometimes those on the list had not always been able to play.

Wires had also been suspended above the pitch to prevent anyone trying to airlift prisoners out by helicopter, and that created difficult refereeing decisions if the ball hit the wires.

He also understood some players had felt rather intimidated by playing there. Another complication was that Full Sutton could only play "at home".

He said that if the league was again invited to play there, it would be put to the management committee, which would take advice from the Football Association and also the referees committee.

League chairman Peter Gibson said that when Full Sutton had been involved in Leeper Hare League games, the prisoners had behaved themselves as they knew referees would otherwise send them off and they wouldn't play again for some weeks.

Some clubs had not been keen on playing there, but some players had liked it as they were intrigued to know what it was like inside the prison.

Updated: 10:07 Wednesday, January 04, 2006