DRUGS and violence are rife at a North-west prison, a damning report has said.

Inspectors have uncovered a catalogue of shame at Forest Bank prison, Salford, which includes inmates throwing excrement at staff.

It is the second time in three years that the prison has come under fire, after a 2002 report criticised its education and training policies.

Now the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, has raised concerns about the falling safety standards at the 1,040-inmate men's jail, which is run by private company UK Detention Services (UKDS).

Miss Ower's report found:

l 25 prisoner assaults are reported every month.

l Four out of 10 inmates tested for drugs return positive samples.

l 2,500 disciplinary hearings were held in a period of just six months.

l A series of assaults against staff had been reported.

l Staff turnover was high, with many employees lacking the experience and confidence to challenge inappropriate behaviour.

Forest Bank, which opened in 2000, accommodates Category B adult male offenders. Most people convicted or sentenced by courts from the Bolton, Leigh and Wigan are sent to serve their time there.

Three years ago, inspectors had considered Forest Bank, which is built on the former Agecroft Power Station in Pendlebury, to be a reasonably safe jail.

But a follow-up visit in August this year, which was carried out unannounced, found that standards had deteriorated significantly.

Miss Owers said: "It is always disappointing when we return to a prison that we have previously commended and find that progress has not been maintained.

"There were a series of assaults against staff, including one unsavoury incident when a bucket of excrement was thrown into an office and over two staff who were in there, while we were at the prison.

"This was by no means the first such 'potting' incident in the prison's recent history. We were told there were two or three others in the previous couple of months.

"We were concerned that a culture of tolerance with inappropriate behaviour was becoming established at Forest Bank and this put both prisoners and staff at risk."

There were some positive points highlighted. Inspectors found that other aspects of safety, such as dealing with suicide and self-harm, remained sound and the prison was clean and well maintained.

Tom Robson, spokesman for the Prison Officers Association, said he was not surprised at the findings of the report.

"Prisons should not be in the hands of the private sector," he said. "People who are in the custody should be looked after by staff working for Her Majesty's Prison Service who see the job as a long-term career and, as a result, have gained the necessary experience to deal with the difficult people we have to look after.

"The findings of the report are no surprise. It is up to the private company to ensure the prison is properly staffed to protect the staff and inmates."

A company spokesman said: "UKDS accepts that at the time of the inspection, staff faced an increasingly confrontational prison population willing to challenge them.

"However, the report fails to acknowledge that management had identified the issues and decisive, comprehensive action had already been taken. These changes were in their early stages at the time of the inspection.

"They have resulted in a reduction in incidents, assaults and positive drug testing figures. The prison is safe and stable."

Ivor Woods, Director of Forest Bank, said: "We recognise that we still have work to do and I am committed to ensuring the standards we set for ourselves are maintained.

"We appreciate the value of an independent evaluation of our work, but I was sorry to see that there were some examples, which were quoted out of context and could lead people to the wrong conclusions. All of us at Forest Bank look forward to continuing improvements at the prison."