VIOLENCE and indiscipline among inmates at Bullingdon Prison is growing after staff cutbacks over the last three years, a new report out today has warned.

Staff shortages are damaging morale, eroding relationships with prisoners and could be linked to the rise in violence, according to the Independent Monitoring Board at the prison near Bicester.

The board said it was concerned about increasing difficulties in recruiting and retaining enough officers to maintain levels deemed 'acceptable' by the Prison Service.

It comes after the Prison Officers Association warned jails were facing 'bloodbaths' unless more staff were recruited and retained.

Dave Todd, the POA national executive committee member for the prison, said: "You have got about 200 officers at Bullingdon but only 175 actually in post.

"They are under-resourced and that impacts on existing staff - they can take less time off and get burnt out.

Mr Todd added: "Prisoners are using legal highs and that can lead to violence.

"They get smuggled in during visits or come in over the wall in drones."

Mr Todd said assaults on staff and prisoners had risen nationally, including at Bullingdon.

Earlier this month Justice Secretary Liz Truss unveiled a White Paper detailing £1.3bn investment in new prisons over the next five years, and plans for 2,100 extra officers, drug tests, and more autonomy for governors.

Mr Todd said the pledge was welcome, but that they 'need action now'.

Substance abuse is still a significant factor in reported rising levels of violence by prisoners, said the IMB.

The report also said service levels provided by contractor Carillion have been 'far from satisfactory' and this has caused difficulties for the prison's staff.

Carillion has not commented.

Paul Miller, chairman of IMB Bullingdon, said: "The board has highlighted for the minister the fact that it has become increasingly difficult to maintain staffing at levels defined as acceptable by the Prison Service.

"This difficulty has had a detrimental effect on the quantity and quality of the interactions of staff with individual prisoners, and may relate to the rise in violence and indiscipline.

"The board has also asked the Prison Service to outline what substantive changes it will require of Carillion."

The difficulties faced by Bullingdon have been made worse by the high rate of 'churn' where prisoners are transferred in and out of the prison at short notice, according to the IMB.

This continues undiminished because the proportion of remand and short-stay prisoners remains high.

However, officers continue to show professionalism and commitment towards developing a rehabilitative culture and their skilled interactions with some of the most volatile prisoners have been observed on many occasions.

Other issues highlighted in the report, covering the period from August 1, 2015 to July 31, 2016, include the allocation of work and poor attendance at education which impacts on prisoner rehabilitation.

Prisoners whose first language is not English also receive inadequate access to effective translation services, the report says.

But inmates have benefited from positive improvements and examples of good practice, including family days for prisoners, and awareness-raising sessions for staff to which prisoners contribute.

The men's prison opened in 1992 and can accommodate 1,114 prisoners.

They are Category B and C prisoners, after being sentenced to between 12 months and four years at courts including Oxford and Reading Crown Court.

Banbury MP Victoria Prentis has not yet responded to requests for a comment.