Video evidence of inmates at HMP The Mount Prison in Bovingdon taking drugs and possessing mobile phones and screwdrivers has emerged.

The video has been filmed on a phone smuggled in by inmates and shows them partying to loud music, smoking from a homemade bong and taking blue pills.

The video begins with inmates dancing in a corridor and moves on to show six inmates crammed in one cell, taking and showing off the drugs they have. One inmate says, ‘that’s the merchandise, rudeboy’.

A HM Prison Service spokesman said: “We are urgently looking into this video and have already placed those who we have identified as being involved on report. They will also be stripped of their privileges and referred to the police for further investigation.

“We have a zero tolerance approach to banned substances in our prisons. Anyone who has broken the rules will be stripped of their privileges and faces having time added to their sentence.

“If there have been any failures in the supervision of prisoners, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.”

The category C prison does have a policy in place to confiscate mobile phones whenever they are found and it is investing in new mobile phone blocking technology.

Prisoners are banned from using mobile phones and those breaking the rules can face added time to their sentence.

The prison has also already made it a criminal offence to throw drugs and other controlled items over the prison wall, including the use of drones.

Anyone attempting to get contraband into prisons can be punished with a sentence of up to two years.

New technology such as body scanners to tackle the threat of drugs in prisons has been promised by HM Prison Service.