Dana firm given extra prison time

Jailhouse Tours were due to leave the building in August to make way for builders and contractors after plans were submitted to Shropshire Council to turn the Victorian prison into student accommodation, housing and a fitness centre.

Planning permission is still to be granted for the scheme.

Jailhouse Tours they have now been told they can stay until at least the end of the year.

The tours of the prison and its tunnels have proved so popular that dates sell out weeks in advance and more dates and events are being added.

Joel Campbell, owner of Jailhouse Tours, said: "The countdown has now begun for tours of the Dana Prison. We would love to stay here forever running tours and meeting more visitors, but unfortunately all good things must come to an end and the countdown to the redevelopment of the Dana has begun.

"But it's not all bad news: Jailhouse Tours has secured an extension to continue delivering tours and events until the end of 2016. We had been given the date of August 7 to leave but we always knew that would be extended as we are a tourist destination and it is right in the middle of our season. But now we have been told that we will be able to stay until December 31."

Prison tours and tunnel tours will run throughout the summer. The popular Dana in the Dark tour will take a break from May to October.

Tickets for tours in April and early May have already been released and are selling fast. Extra tours being put on over the Easter weekend and school holidays.

Earlier this week hit TV show Most Haunted paid a visit to the prison to search out some ghosts. Yvette Fielding and her crew of paranormal investigators visited the site to see if there were any ghostly goings-on. Footage filmed at the prison on Monday will be shown later this year.

And the Dana is starring in Sky 1 show Lucky Man which is shown each Friday night at 9pm. Filming was completed at the Dana in September for the show, which stars James Nesbitt.