NORMAL activities at an East Anglian jail will be suspended so prison officers can pay their respects at the funeral of a woman who tried to stop criminals abusing alcohol or taking drugs.

NORMAL activities at an East Anglian prison will be suspended so prison officers can pay their respects at the funeral of a woman who tried to stop criminals abusing alcohol or taking drugs.

Jeanette Westall, 27, who lived in Ipswich, was found dead last week. She had been working at Hollesley Bay Prison, near Woodbridge, for 13 months and had built up a good working relationship with offenders.

Mrs Westall was a CARAT project worker employed by the Addaction group. Her role was to give counselling for inmates, assess their drink and drug problems and find help for them.

She worked both at Warren Hill, the closed prison for juveniles, and in the open prison section where she met young offenders and adults serving sentences for anything ranging from murder to petty crime.

Prison officers are preparing to pay their respects to a much-loved colleague and will attend her funeral service at St Mary's Church, Ardleigh, near Colchester.

Hollesley Bay Prison will be in a "lock down" phase because so many staff will be attending the funeral. That means the normal regime for inmates will be temporarily suspended.

Mrs Westall was married to Martin and had two sisters, Louise and Clare, and a brother Neil. The family has declined to comment about her death.

Hollesley Bay Prison duty governor, Will Styles, said yesterday: ''Everyone here very much regrets the passing of Jeanette."

A spokeswoman for Addaction said: "We were terribly upset when we heard about it. Jeanette was an extremely capable and respected worker. An indication of how well-respected and liked she was is the fact the prison is in lock down for her funeral.

"She was very well-liked and respected by her clients and loved and respected by her co-workers. Addaction will miss her very much."