Maintaining bonds with their children is the biggest incentive to preventing reoffending, according to prisoners themselves in HMP Wandsworth.

Sonia Hunter is in charge of operations and visits at the prison in Earlsfield, and puts on regular family days in addition to weekly visits.

Wandsworth Times:

Pic: the families enjoy lunch together on the family day

On July 27, the prison held a summer sports day style family day, and 18 prisoners were given four hours to play outside in organised games with their kids and partners and enjoy lunch with them.

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Daniel North, who is 20 months into his sentence for conspiracy to supply class A drugs, said: "[Family days] mean the world, they are very good.

"Maintaining family ties in prison is massive, you can do all the courses in the world but the children are the people who will stop you reoffending, for me anyway.

"There is no way I will be coming back in here and putting them through this again."

North has two children, a five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son.

He has two-and-a-half years left on his sentence.

He said: "I was a full-time dad before I came to prison.

"My girl is five, my little boy was only six months when I came in here so it has affected her more.

"I think the most important thing for people in prison is maintaining ties or rebuilding them. I have been fortunate, I have kept the relationship with my wife, kids and mother-in-law who are all here today."

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Andrew Georgiou is also serving time for drug offences.

He was joined by his wife Jo Lycett and their son Mason on the family day.

Georgiou, who is 25 months into his sentence with four years to go, said: "It just means everything, it is that bond to keep your family ties together.

"It is just normality, to spend time with them.

"We have a strong family and strong bond."

Wandsworth Times:

Pic: HMP Wandsworth

Ms Lycett said the days were important to her because Georgiou had not had children until he was 51 and now missed out on things like taking his son to school.

Ms Hunter said prisoners had been "almost hand selected" for this particular family day and had to prove they had been in regular contact with their families and shown commitment to their children.

She said: "I want to send the kids away knowing that they have had sports day with their dads.

"Not one of them has asked about the fences or their environment.

"We skipped in together and they all just ran screaming 'daddy, daddy'."

Ms Hunter said the prisoner governors had been supportive of the family days meaning she would be able to hold them once a month, an increase from five a year.

She said: "You hear of drugs being passed in weekly visits and then I come and do these days and it is all worth it."