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UK: elite officers sent to Welsh prisons more than 50 times
A group of elite prison officers were sent to deal with incidents in Welsh jails more than 50 times last year.
These included hostage situations, prisoners climbing at heights or barricading themselves in.
The Freedom of Information figures show they were called more than 600 times in total to prisons in Wales and England - a 60% increase in four years.
A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesman said the “overwhelming majority” of callouts were to non-violent events.
The National Tactical Response Group and Tornado teams are armed specialists, trained to deal with situations including hostage taking.
Officers were sent to Parc Prison, Bridgend 30 times (23 were responses to incidents at height), Berwyn, near Wrexham, 16 times, Cardiff five times but not to Swansea.
Chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform Frances Crook said many prisoners were in “grossly disgusting conditions”.
“The problem is, if you put two adult men in a cell the size of a toilet, with a toilet and with nothing to do, day after day, for months or years, you’re asking for trouble,” added Ms Crook.