PRISON chiefs are investigating a riot at a women's prison which has left inmates being offered counselling.

According to reports, a hostage situation took place at Low Newton prison, near Durham City, when a woman took over one of the landings on a wing last Friday.

It also emerged last night that police have charged six men with prison mutiny over a riot at Deerbolt Young Offenders' Institution, near Barnard Castle, County Durham.

The Deerbolt inmates, who were been moved following a disturbance in the prison chapel in February, are being held at different establishments and will be brought for trial later this year.

It is understood that, in the Low Newton incident, the female inmate began throwing pieces of glass, including some at the prison governor, before a team was drafted in to calm down the situation with smoke bombs. It lasted for about six hours.

The Prison Service last night refused to confirm the details of the Low Newton incident, despite much of the information emerging during the court case of inmate Nicola Morris, of Middlesbrough.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Ms Morris, who was in the prison on remand, had been upset by the incident.

Her barrister, Johanne Kidd, said: "About a week ago, there was a riot at Low Newton.

"The Prison Trust Forum were called in and smoke bombs were let off, and the hostage situation that took place lasted a considerable time.

"The people caught up by that have since been offered counselling by the prison."

Durham Police confirmed they knew about the incident at Low Newton, but they had not been directly involved.

A Prison Service spokes-man said: "I can confirm there was an incident on April 1.

"Two prisoners sustained minor injuries and were treated in the health care wing. There were no injuries to staff. The matter is being investigated."