One's plastered

Princess of Wales has bandaged fingers for prison visit after trampoline injury

- RUSSELL MYERS

THE Princess of Wales visited a prison with strapping on two of her fingers yesterday after a trampoline injury.

The Princess, patron of charity The Forward Trust, was at HMP High Down to see its work helping inmates recover from addiction.

Ken and Brenda Ash from Weybridge, Surrey, who used to visit son Mark at the prison, asked the Princess about the plaster on her right index and middle fingers.

She replied: "My own fault. I was jumping around on the trampoline."

Gesturing to the strapping, she added: "I did put it on just to keep it safe. As she went through an entrance used by 2,000 visitors a month, Kate was shown the reaction of labrador Penny when something is found.

Dogs there are trained to alert their handler not by barking but by sitting very still. Kate said: "Amazing. It's incredible, it's very calm and controlled. It's not intimidating." 

The Princess visited the prison, which holds 1,126 offenders, ahead of Addiction Awareness Week, which runs from October 28 to November 4.

She heard stories from four inmates about overcoming drug and alcohol issues and told them she strongly believed addiction was not a choice.

A palace source added she had found the exchange inspirational.

Speaking later yesterday, the Princess said: "I asked one of the guys, 'Would you have liked help [with your addiction] earlier?'.

"And he said, 'Yes, but I didn't know I needed it".

Category C HMP High Down in Sutton, Surrey, was chosen for the visit as the Princess was keen to understand the experience of families visiting lovedones in prison.

The jail includes a children's play area to make the experience less daunting. Inmates can work in a restaurant called The Clink, which is open to the public.

Speaking to kitchen staff, who are also prisoners, Kate said: "Well done. It smells delicious."