SHOPPERS were offered a taste of porridge when a mobile jail cell was set up in a city centre at the weekend.

County Durham and Darlington's Criminal Justice Board parked the cell - created for the Prison Me, No Way educational programme - outside Durham's town hall on Saturday.

After being offered a spell behind bars, members of the public were invited into the hall for an insight into the work of the courts, police, probation service, prison, youth offending partnerships, fire and rescue, crown Prosecution Service and other criminal justice agencies.

The board's business manager, Carina Carey, said: "Our roadshow will give people the opportunity to see how the criminal justice services are working and the chance to tell us about how well they think we are doing the job.

"It also gives those interested in careers within the agencies and partnerships across the service the chance to chat to those already doing the job."

The visit to Durham was the first of a series that will take the roadshow to Darlington, Derwentside, Easington, Teesdale, Wear Valley and Sedgefield over the next two years.

The mock cell, housed in a converted van, measures 7ft by 13ft and replicates standard prison accommodation.

It includes a set of bunk beds, toilet, sink, table and chair and features a traditional cell door fitted with a viewing flap allowing officers check on inmates.

It also has a cell window and bars and prison issue clothing.