A SECOND man accused of murder has been found dead in his cell within three days at a North-East prison.

Daniel Phillip Johnson, 23, was found hanging in a cell at Durham Prison, at 5.25am on Monday.

Prison staff attended and attempted resuscitation, but death was pronounced at 6.15am.

A Ministry of Justice Prisons Service spokesman said today the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman would conduct an investigation.

An inquest will open at the office of the Durham coroner, in Crook, tomorrow, to be adjourned pending the inquiries.

But a Durham Police spokeswoman said yesterday there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances.

Mr Johnson was remanded in custody at the prison, accused of the murder of a fellow resident at the Excelsior Buildings flat complex in Hexham, Northumberland, on Friday March 20.

Stephen Thomas Philipson, 37, died later that day in hospital from stab wounds to the neck.

A knife was recovered from the flat and Mr Johnson was arrested on suspicion of murder.

He was later charged and remanded in custody at the prison pending a plea hearing at Newcastle Crown Court on June 22, with a potential trial, if needed, pencilled in for September.

His death came only two days after 40-year-old Nigel McLean was found hanging in his cell by prison staff at 2.15pm last Saturday.

He was pronounced dead an hour later after attempts at resuscitation proved unsuccessful.

His death is also being investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and inquest proceedings opened and adjourned earlier in the week.

Mr McLean, of no fixed address, was on remand at the prison accused of the murder of his ex-girlfriend, 38-year-old school kitchen assistant Julie Mordue.

The mother-of-two was found with stab wounds at her home in Vicars Croft, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, on April 21.