A NORTH-East prison was in lockdown on Tuesday as the Prison Service carried out a full search of the jail.

The dramatic move at Holme House Prison in Stockton came after it emerged prison officers were falling ill from inhaling fumes from the drug Spice, with at least 16 off work, although not all sickness absences are connected with the effects of the drug.

Staff from other prisons were drafted in to help with the full-scale search, which also involved sniffer dogs.

Last month a £200,000 haul of drugs was recovered in the 1,200-inmate prison after being smuggled in in packets of Weetabix, sachets of porridge and even sealed pineapple tins.

And Tuesday's search, which involved a thorough search of the whole prison, took almost all day and involved inmates being locked in their cells for much of the day.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "Illicit items were recovered following a planned intelligence led search at HMP Holme House on Tuesday August 1."

But she would not say what had been recovered or if any arrests were made.

The discoveries are currently being dealt with within the prison as Cleveland Police were not involved in Tuesday's search.

Prison staff have been suffering some psychotic effects and also heart-related symptoms from Spice fumes.