A PRISON branded inherently unsafe in a Government report was last night said to have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in the past year.

The new management team at Holme House, in Stockton, led by new governor Mick Lees, was credited with the transformation.

In a report by the Independent Monitoring Board, which will be presented to Home Secretary David Blunkett, the Category B jail is said to be "moving forward in great strides".

However, the author of the report, board chairwoman Muriel Blythman, highlighted concerns over staff security, health and safety, and outdated security camera equipment.

Mrs Blythman's report will also make Mr Blunkett aware that only half of the almost-1,000 inmates can be employed at one time in "purposeful activity" because of a lack of training and education places.

The prison, built for 650 inmates, has had two housing blocks added since it opened in 1992, but still does not have sufficient workshop space for the prisoners.

Overcrowding had been a problem in the past, and led to chief prisons inspector Anne Owers saying inmates as young as 18 were being housed with sex offenders in an "inherently unsafe" situation.

But Mrs Blythman's report said that the problem of overcrowding and that of deaths in custody had been overcome.

The report also called for cells to be provided for prisoners on "dirty protests", where they were not maintaining their hygiene, and improved security for the staff car park, with a perimeter fence to stop vandal attacks on vehicles.

Mrs Blythman said: "By the nature of their work, prison staff risk being exposed to potential abuse from outside sources. There should be, therefore, measures taken to provide some protection from offenders.