THE ARCHERS has a new rival which is guaranteed a captive audience ? the first ever prison radio soap opera aired last week, thanks to the help of a West Devon acting group.

Bridestowe and Sourton Follies have joined forces with HMP Channings Wood near Newton Abbot to create the first ever prison radio soap opera, called Inside Out.

Channings Wood has its very own radio station, Conair, which is run for the prison by CSV Media Plymouth.

The prison was recently awarded several thousand pounds by South West Arts to promote several arts-related projects.

The first was a hard-hitting radio soap opera dealing with resettlement issues and how crime and imprisonment affected offenders, their families and the community as a whole.

The prisoners are the scriptwriters, recording and production technicians and actors, but they needed to call in outside help when it came to female and child actors, which is where the Follies stepped in ? they recorded sections of the play locally.

Former governor John Haley is also secretary for Bridestowe and Sourton Follies and so suggested an amalgamation.

Eight episodes of the prison drama have been recorded and edited and are due to be aired within the prison over the coming weeks.

Mr Haley said the aim of the drama was to ?reflect both sides of prison life, not just showing those behind bars but also the impact on family outside.

?It is quite thought-provoking, I didn?t want them to glorify prison, rather to highlight the pitfalls. For some of the inmates I hope it can play a role in making them realise how selfish they are being by continually re-offending and what their behaviour means to their family and children.?

Mr Haley said as well as providing information and thought-provoking drama for prisoners the soap opera also provided training and resettlement support for those who got involved with the project.

He said as the first eight instalments had been so successful, it was hoped the serial would continue as long as the team could keep coming up with fresh storylines to sustain the drama.

He said a number of other prisons had already expressed an interest in broadcasting Inside Out in their institutions.