A PRISONER is staging a rooftop protest at Winchester Prison.

Emergency services, including police, fire and ambulance have been called to the category B prison on Romsey Road this afternoon.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “There is an ongoing incident at height at HMP Winchester involving one prisoner, who gained access to a roof at around 3.30pm.

“Specialist staff are at the scene working to bring the situation to a safe conclusion,” he said.

The inmate, who has not been named, is on a relatively low roof of a modern building not on the high rooves in the Victorian part of the prison.

In these situations, nationally-based specialist task teams can be called in to remove inmates.

A anonymous caller said there was a “rooftop protest” being held by an inmate unhappy at the length of time he has spent in the jail. The Ministry of Justice declined to comment.