Three prison officers at a high-security prison have been stabbed, police have said.
The attack, at Frankland jail in County Durham, is reported to have involved a broken bottle.
A spokesman for the Prison Officers Association (POA) said a female officer and two male colleagues were injured in the attack.
He said the woman was stabbed in the back, while the second officer was injured in the arm, sustaining a very serious injury. A third officer, who is believed to have rugby-tackled the inmate, was then slashed across the face during the assault.
He said two of the officers, who are all aged in their early 30s, remain in hospital. One of the officers suffered an arterial bleed and was fortunate to survive the attack.
Th spokesman said: "This was a very, very serious attack and but for the grace of God we could have been looking at murder here. The public will want to know why prison officers are not provided with stab-proof vests and other equipment that police officers get."
He said the weapon had still to be to identified, but was believed to be a shard of glass. The officers were attacked on G Wing.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "Three prison officers at HMP Frankland were injured on Saturday March 13 in an incident involving a prisoner.
"All three officers were taken to hospital. The incident is now subject to a police investigation.
"Violence in prisons is not tolerated in any form. Assaults on prison staff are taken very seriously and depending on the severity will be dealt with internally or referred to the police."
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