A damning report on Chelmsford Prison was "unnecessarily critical", its board of visitors has said.

The watchdog claims the situation at the Victorian jail had improved.

The annual report, released by Chief Inspector of Prisons Sir David Ramsbotham last month, said visits, healthcare and time spent locked in cells were all matters for serious concern.

At a presentation of their own annual report at the prison yesterday (Thursday), Neil Orr, chairman of the board of visitors, said: "The report was unnecessarily critical of the prison as it has improved considerably since the Inspector's last visit.

"I am very concerned about the bad press the prison is getting."

Mr Ramsbotham's report said the visiting rooms were dehumanising to staff, inmates and visitors.

The health care centre was said to be totally unsuitable for treating mentally and physically ill inmates and should be rebuilt. Prisoners were also said to be locked up for too long.

In presenting the board's report, Mr Orr said: "We have been complaining about the visiting room since 1991. Since the report it has been painted and improved."

The room has been decorated and a creche and new plastic furniture have been added.

But he agreed the health centre needed rebuilding and the Government had promised to make funding available to do this.

Mr Orr said Chelmsford Prison had one of the three worst health care centres in the county.

"The planning for this is under way already. We are preparing plans for a special health centre."

There was real concern, he added, about the number of hours spent by prisoners behind closed doors.

"We are one of the last prisons to operate a nine to five service, locking the prisoners up for 20 hours from 5pm to 8am.

"There are new management structures in place and there have been promises by the prison governor for an evening association to be set up." Mr Orr concluded: "Local prisons are on the whole under-funded, I would like to see a lot more money pumped into them."

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