REVEALED: What inmates in our prisons will be tucking into on Christmas Day

The special menus, published on gov.uk and on offer at facilities across England, vary slightly from prison to prison, but most offer up to four different lunch options to inmates.

In this region, inmates at HMP Onley can choose from Halal Roast Chicken leg, Creamy mushroom pasta, Vegan schnitzels, Salmon parcel or Roast Turkey and trimmings served with Roast potatoes or New potatoes and what is described as a ‘Symphony of vegetables consisting of Carrots, Peas, Brussels sprouts and Parsnips’ followed by Christmas pudding & Custard or Raspberry frozen yoghurt.

At HMP Bedford inmates can choose from:

Option 1: Halal Half Roast chicken Served with a halal sausage, sage and onion stuffing & cranberry sauce.

Option 2: (V) (H) Vegetarian peppered steak pie Served with a vegan sausage sprouts & carrots & cranberry sauce.

Option 3: Half Roast chicken Served with pigs in blankets, sage and onion stuffing & cranberry sauce.

Option 4: Roast Turkeys served with Pigs in blankets, sage and onion stuffing & cranberry sauce.

The Prison Service said the festive menus were prepared at no extra cost as they were funded out of existing catering budgets.