A PRISON officers' leader has called for an urgent safety review after an increase in assaults was highlighted by an alleged stabbing at a North-East jail.

Colin Moses, head of the Prison Officers' Association, was speaking after The Northern Echo revealed that the killers of a police officer have been charged with stabbing a fellow inmate in Frankland Prison, Durham.

Muzzaker Imtiaz Shah and Yusuf Abdillh Jamma are accused of attacking a 22-year-old man who was serving life for murder. The inmate, from the North-West, suffered wounds to his stomach and cuts to his face in the incident, which is alleged to have taken place in his cell on March 6.

Shah, 26, and Jamma, 20, murdered PC Sharon Beshenivsky during a bungled armed robbery of a travel agents in Bradford, West Yorkshire, in November 2005.

Frankland Prison, which houses about 730 of the country's most feared prisoners, has been the subject of several high-profile incidents in recent months.

Mr Moses, who formerly worked in nearby Low Newton prison, said: "What is happening at Frankland is an indication of what is happening at prisons up and down the country.

"There has been an increase in violence by inmates on inmates and it is a worrying situation.

"There has also been an increase in assaults on prison officers, which is why there is low morale among my members.

"I am very worried for my members and I believe there should be an urgent review of the situation by the Prison Service and Jack Straw (the Justice Secretary)."

A Prison Service spokesman said: "Reducing violence, in all its forms, is fundamental to the Prison Service objectives and to the re-settlement and rehabilitation agenda.

"Violence is not pervasive in the Prison Service.

"In many establishments incidents are rare.

"However, prison is a difficult and demanding environment where staff manage a violent population."

Figures released earlier this month revealed there were 1,050 attacks on inmates in the 11 prisons in the North-East and North Yorkshire last year, up from 204 in 1996.

Shah, from London, and Jamma, from Birmingham, will answer charges of wounding with intent, via video link from prison, before North Durham magistrates next Thursday.