An inmate at Styal prison has died after they were found unresponsive at the women's jail on Christmas Eve.

In a statement, a prison service spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of HMP/YOI Styal prisoner, Alex Davies, who sadly died on Tuesday 24 December. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate."

The death comes four months after a damning report was published on the Cheshire jail which found inmates were subjected to harm due to healthcare delays.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection at the women's prison flagged 'dirty' and 'unsafe' healthcare services, prompting inspectors to issue three warning notices for multiple breaches of the Health and Social Care Act.

The report in August by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) highlighted staff shortages; inadequate training; medication distribution errors; subpar cleanliness; and staff claiming there is a 'culture of bullying'.

Spectrum Community Healthcare CIC, which is responsible for healthcare provision at HMP and YOI Styal - and 14 other prisons across the UK - responded to the findings by saying the company is 'committed to addressing all identified areas for improvement'.

The spokesperson said: "At the time of the unannounced inspection, Spectrum had already initiated a comprehensive action plan through a transformation board in collaboration with the women in our care and HMPPS. This plan includes local and NHS England transformation action plans, as well as a peer CQC self-assessment outcomes guiding our quality improvement efforts."

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