BRITAIN'S most notorious child killer has been secretly moved to a North-East prison.

Soham murderer Ian Huntley was taken out of Wakefield Prison, in West Yorkshire, as 700 other inmates had lunch.

His new home is Frankland, a top security prison on the outskirts of Durham.

Huntley is serving a 40-year sentence for murdering ten-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, in Soham, Cambridgeshire, in August 2002.

Sources say Monday's military-style transfer happened so fast that the 33-year-old was allowed to collect only a few toiletries. His other belongings followed later.

Huntley was moved in a prison van, making the 100-mile journey in less than two hours with a two-car police escort.

He is the latest high-profile convict to be taken to Frankland, a 734-capacity jail used for many of Britain's most dangerous prisoners.

Dr Harold Shipman, who murdered at least 250 patients, was kept there before being moved to Wakefield, where he killed himself in 2004.

Earlier this month, Gateshead killer Lee Nevins, who was serving a 17-year-term at the prison, escaped while receiving medical treatment at Sunderland Royal Hospital. He went on the run for six days before being recaptured on Monday.

Among Huntley's fellow inmates is al Qaida terrorist Eesa Barot, who plotted to murder thousands with radioactive dirty bombs.

Last month, Barot, formerly known as Dhiren, went to court in an attempt to force the Prison Service to move him, saying he had lost confidence in the ability of Frankland staff to prevent him being attacked. His plea was rejected.

Most residents of Brasside, a village yards from the prison wall, have grown accustomed to their prison neighbours.

But Caroline Davison, a mother-of-three from Rowan Drive, was still shocked to learn the identity of the jail's latest resident.

She said: "It's a very safe community, but now and again you remember - usually when somebody's brought in and you see the white van.

"It isn't nice knowing people like Huntley are on your doorstep. They should put him a room with the mothers of the girls he killed."

Huntley is said to have been "terrified" at leaving Wakefield.

Apart from a stay in hospital last year following a suicide attempt, his move to Frankland was the first he had seen of the outside world since being jailed in 2003.