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Union leaders are demanding a national roll-out of a pepper spray-like cannister after a “major incident” at Wrexham’s new super-prison left two officers hospitalised.

Mark Fairhurst, national chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) said an out of control prisoner launched an attack on several guards at HMP Berwyn on Sunday.

Two officers were taken to hospital with one suffering a serious facial injuries.

Mr Fairhurst described the violence as a “major incident” with staff withdrawing to create a barricade.

The incident came a day after Luke Jones , 22, died in custody at the North Wales prison.

But both Mr Fairhurst and the Ministry of Justice confirmed the two incidents are unrelated.

The POA is now demanding a national roll out of PAVA spray - similar to pepper spray - across all UK prisons to protect staff.

Mr Fairhurst said: “The incident on Sunday was a separate major incident at HMP Berwyn whereby two guards were seriously injured and hospitalised - one with serious facial injuries, by one prisoner.

“It was so bad that staff had to withdraw and create a barricade.

“These incidents are happening a lot and at the moment, there are only four prisons who use PAVA spray nationally .

“I understand that Berwyn is trying to do things differently, but it’s a prison at the end of the day and staff should be allowed to use the spray for their own protection in situations such as this.”

PAVA spray is more potent than CS gas and claimed to be safer for users and innocent bystanders.

It primarily affects the eyes, causing the lids to close amid severe pain.

Referring to Sunday’s incident, a Ministry of Justice spokesman, said: “We do not tolerate violence in our prisons and always push for the strongest possible penalties for those involved.”

Speaking about Mr Jones’ death in custody, Mr Fairhurst added: “It’s a tragedy and our thoughts go out to the man’s family and to the prison staff who tried to resuscitate him.

“We are aware that further information about the circumstances is forthcoming, but at the moment we haven’t been told the full circumstances and we await to hear the cause of death.”

An investigation has now been launched and North Wales Police said they are not treating the death as suspicious.

There will also be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

Mr Jones’ death is one of the more serious incidents to befall the super-prison, which has been beset by problems since it first opened little more than a year ago.

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In February it was revealed police had been called to the site on average more than 13 times a month since it opened.

Up to 170 incidents have required police intervention.

There have also been 17 fires, six cases of “concerted indiscipline” and three dirty protests.