Inmates with restraining orders wrongly let out early.

Dozens of prisoners convicted of breaching restraining orders were mistakenly released from prison early, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed.

It said 37 offenders were wrongly let out in recent weeks under a government scheme designed to reduce overcrowding, indicating the error was down to their offence being logged incorrectly.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the majority had now been returned to prison and police are working "urgently" to locate the rest.

Former chief inspector of prisons Nick Hardwick said the incident would be "very distressing and frightening for the victims"