JAIL governor Jerry Knight has promised to transform Blundeston Prison into a centre of excellence in the next 12-months.The pledge comes as a report by the chief inspector of prisons published praised prisoner-staff relations at the Suffolk jail but said training should be more focused to the needs of inmates preparing to return to the outside world.

JAIL governor Jerry Knight has promised to transform Blundeston Prison into a centre of excellence in the next 12-months.

The pledge comes as a report by the chief inspector of prisons published praised prisoner-staff relations at the Suffolk jail but said training should be more focused to the needs of inmates preparing to return to the outside world.

A team of three inspectors carried out the unannounced two-day inspection in June.

Anne Owers, chief inspector of prisons, highlighted the good staff-prisoner relationships and said the prison provided a supportive and decent environment for inmates.

But she said that more should be done to focus training opportunities to the needs of prisoners and the approach was "too relaxed".

"Purposeful activity lacked structure, co-ordination and definition," she said in the report.

"Prisoners might have to wait for long periods to be assigned work, were not always allocated appropriately, and in some areas were not obtaining useful qualifications or skills."

The 81-page report also noted that the prison's induction unit was being used as an overspill facility for the segregation unit.

There was currently no mental health support for prisoners and there was a waiting time of three weeks for emergency dental treatment.

But it welcomed efforts to boost access to gym facilities and usage had tripled to 62 per cent after the introduction of a new programme last year. It also welcomed the introduction of part-time and evening education sessions.