Jail bosses are investigating after shocking CCTV emerged of a security guard being brutally attacked by a prisoner outside his cell.

The 36-second footage shows fellow inmates jumping up and down in excitement as the lag, dressed in a blue t-shirt, repeatedly throws punches at two prison officers.

Eventually a further three guards are forced to intervene in order to pull the prisoner to the ground.

After a brief struggle, he was eventually bought under control and had his privileges taken away from him shortly after the incident.

The footage - which was supposedly shot at HMP Hewell in Redditch, Worcs.,- has been shared over 1,000 times since being posted on Wednesday (14/2).

Commenting on the post by Facebook group Soho Road post, Sue Medhurst said: "Prison??? Looks more like a playground..

"Shame really as these are adults?? I'm thinking not!!!

"Treated too well I'm thinking."

Meanwhile, Alex Mckay said: "They all like monkeys jumping around [and] getting excited!

"The trouble with these lads is that they never grow up."

Dale Taylor said: "This is why we have such a problem over crowded prisons, the prisoners get pool tables, good food, education, clean clothes and so on/

"Everything is done for them they get a better life inside than they do at home."

Janet Brennan said: "What's with the moron dancing about with his dinner?

"Looks like a social club, not a prison."

Refusing to confirm which prison the footage was shot in, a spokesperson for the Prison Service said: "We do not tolerate any violence against staff, and referred this to the police as soon as it happened.

"The offender involved was stripped of his privileges and we are urgently working to remove the content from social media.

"When incidents like this occur we will always work closely with the police to push for the strongest possible penalties."