Prisoners let out for day to drive buses

Prisoners are being released from jail to drive buses before returning to be locked up.

Unknown to their passengers, including school children, convicts are earning up to £300 a week driving for Stagecoach around Chichester and Worthing in West Sussex.

At the end of each shift they are then given an hour to return to low-security Ford Open Prison in nearby Arundel.

Prison bosses say that the small number of drivers are taking part in the scheme as part of their rehabilitation process, but refused to disclose the shift patterns.

On hearing about the programme, one local said: "We are furious convicted criminals are earning the same money as us before they have served their time."

The prison, containing a number of fraudsters has previously been dubbed HMP Butlins after inmates were caught buying alcohol and smoked salmon from a nearby supermarket.