A LANCASTER college is to become the lead provider of education in six prisons.

Lancaster and Morecambe College has beaten off stiff competition to win a £6million teaching contract.

College staff will work with prisons at Garth and Wymott (Leyland), Kirkham and Preston as well as the Young Offenders Institute at Lancaster Farms and Lancaster Castle.

The new contract is one of only three awarded in the country and aims to enable the sharing of best educational practice between all six prisons.

College principal David Wood, says: "This contract is an important additional service, raising levels of education for offenders and helping them gain the skills they need to succeed in their future.

"It is not only good news financially for the college but recognises our excellence as a college of further education as well as a specialist provider of prison education."