'It's nothing to be afraid of' says young female prison officer who looks after notorious inmates in Milton Keynes Woodhill jail

A young prison officer is encouraging other females to go into the profession and assured them there’s nothing to be scared about.

Megan, who is 24, works at HMP Woodhill, which has a host of Category A inmates. It's the most secure type of UK jail and houses about 500 men considered the biggest threat to the public.

But she feels there's a “total misconception" about being a young woman in the job.

"People think it's like the films and TV - locking doors and fights breaking out all the time - but that's not the reality. We are here to help people, rehabilitate them and ultimately make sure the public are safe."

She was just 13 when she informed her mum that she wanted to one day run a prison. She joined the service in November as part of the Ministry of Justice's relocation scheme, which means she's moved more than 100 miles from Yorkshire for the job.

Stats from the government show the number of women working in prisons in England and Wales is now equal to the number of men.

There are also more people under 30 working in the prison service - 10,638 in the year ending March 2021, compared with 6,434 in 2017.

Megan says working at Woodhill - home to some notorious inmates such as Charles Bronson - can be "intimidating at times" but she's never felt scared.

The first time stepping on the wing "kind of hits you - the smell, the atmosphere," she says. "But it's nothing to be afraid of.

"At the end of the day the job is about working with people and being able to talk and I like to think I'm a good communicator."

Megan is familiar with many of the inmates on the wing, who are long-term offenders and include notorious prisoner Charles Bronson.

They have their own cells and don't share with other inmates, and are given between 30 minutes to an hour a day for exercise.

As a female officer, Megan says many prisoners view her as having a more caring role.

“I see this as a career now and I'm here for the long-term," she said.