Carol singing, a tree, decorations and a slap-up Christmas dinner. This sounds like any house up and down the country on the big day.
But, according to insiders, it's also a reality in Styal women's prison. The festive mood behind bars at HMP Styal is so good that inmates want to be there at Christmas rather than have their liberty, one guard told the M.E.N.
If they're out on licence, they'll do anything to breach that licence so they're recalled in time for Christmas and, if they are already behind bars, they want to stay there, according to our source.
For often very vulnerable women, being behind bars during the festive period is way better than being out on the streets, at the mercy of the elements and serious criminals who often control them, they said. READ MORE: The jail where inmates 'run the wings' despite a BILLION pounds of public money READ MORE: Government told to carry out 'urgent' probe following Manchester Evening News investigation into Forest Bank prison It's a description which appears to be at odds with the number of deaths reported at HMP Styal.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk