The Hunts Post understands prisoners at HMP Littlehey have been forced to boil water in kettles in order to wash in their cells after a fault was identified with a boiler, meaning they have been unable to have showers.

A source, who asked not to be identified, said inmates had been kept in the dark over the problem, with no word from prison officials about when the hot water would be restored. The source said the problem had been ongoing for more than a week, adding: “It is not just the prisoners affected, it is a problem for the officers too”.

A spokesman for the Prison Service said: “We are committed to providing safe and decent conditions for prisoners.

“Engineers are working to resolve an issue with the hot water system at HMP Littlehey, which is affecting one wing.

“We have put in place alternative measures for those prisoners affected.”

The category C prison, located in Perry, opened in 1988 as an integrated sex offender prison. In 2010 a new prison was opened on site for 480 young offenders.

In July 2014 the prison was re-roled to house all adult male category C offenders and the establishment was reorganised to one prison.

The prison has space enough for about 1,200 inmates, more than 90 per cent of whom are serving sentences for sexual offences.