An operation to ease pressures on the prison population is set to have an impact on the courts in Blackburn.

Ministry of Justice officials have confirmed they have triggered the provisions of Operation Early Dawn in the wake of recent far-right disorder.

Hundreds of arrests have been made as a result of disturbances across the region, sparking increased demands on the prison system.

Under 'Early Dawn' offenders will only be summoned to appear at a magistrates court, like Blackburn, if there is a cell in the prison estate ready for them should they be remanded in custody.

The directive means that prisoners will be held in police station cells until they are summoned to court, according to justice officials.

Leaders of the Prison Officers Association, at the weekend, had predicted the operation, used previously by the Tories in May, would come into force this week.

POA chairman Mark Fairhurst told reporters there were only 340 spaces left in the closed prison establishment by last Friday.

Prisons and Probation Minister, Lord Timpson, said: "We inherited a justice system in crisis and exposed to shocks. As a result, we have been forced into making difficult but necessary decisions to keep it operating.

"However, thanks to the hard work of our dedicated staff and partners, we have brought forward additional prison places and now introduced Operation Early Dawn to manage the pressure felt in some parts of the country.

"The police have reassured the public that this will not impact their ability to arrest criminals, and anyone who poses a risk to the public will not be bailed."

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Custody, Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp, said: "We are working closely with criminal justice system partners to manage demand in the system and ensure that the public are safe.

"Policing will continue to arrest anyone that they need to in order to keep the public safe, including policing protests and events and ensuring that people are arrested as expected."

Extra prison places are being created, say government officials, with a new block being constructed at HMP Stocken in Rutland, changes to HMP Cookham Wood and increased maintenance work in other prisons.

Justice chiefs have confirmed the operation is expected to be in force for Lancashire, Cumbria, Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Yorkshire and the North East.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman added: "The Government will keep this measure under constant review and will activate or deactivate as necessary.

"Ongoing trials in the crown court will not be directly impacted and prisoners being held for crown court hearings will be brought to court and taken back to prison as usual."