A LEYLAND jail was the subject of a chief inspector's report released this week, following an unannounced visit to the secure unit in October last year.

The report on Wymott Prison, off Ulnes Walton Lane, Leyland, described as encouraging, commended prison staff for their work to rejuvenate the prison after it was hit by riots eight years ago when many of the buildings were destroyed.

It described the jail as offering a "safe and secure environment" for prisoners and stated that, in most respects, their treatment is "better than satisfactory".

Governor Jenny Stewart said: "I am pleased with the report as I know that bad inspection reports get a lot of attention. We're looking at the recommendations the report has made in order to take the prison forward."

Prisoner Scott Barlow, 26, who is nearing the end of a three-year sentence for supplying class A drugs, said: "When I came to Wymott I had a drug problem and joined the 'Therapeutic Community' to help me. They were brilliant and now I'm clean. However, I had bad toothache and had to wait 13 months to see a dentist."

The report urged the prison to improve its health care. But governor Stewart said the prison was already addressing the issue with a £370,000 plan currently under development.

Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, said: "Wymott is no different from other prisons struggling to provide and manage health care services adequately. This is an area that requires greater NHS and prison service commitment."

Wymott holds up to 805 adult male prisoners. It has two prisons -- one holding 350 category C prisoners and a separate and isolated regime of up to 450 inmates, many of them sex offenders -- making it the biggest sex offenders' prison in Europe.

Chris Hough, 35, from Bury, who is currently caged for robbery and was also in Wymott in 1990. He feels the prison has become too strict since the riots.

"It was great back then. It was a cons jail but now it is much more strict. Now you feel like you should not have an opinion and that creates resentment," he said.