Hunt for escaped prisoner

Mervin Deadman was last seen by prison staff on Wednesday night

A Brighton man serving a jail term for attempted murder has escaped from prison.

Mervin Deadman was last seen by staff at Ford Open Prison on Wednesday evening.

The 33-year-old is described as white, about 5 ft 11 in tall and with cropped black hair.

He has tattoos on the back of his neck and a scar on his chin.

Sussex Police said Deadman, who was convicted in 1997, was last seen at the prison, which is in West Sussex, at 2100 BST on Wednesday.

Ford is a category D open prison just outside Arundel with a population of about 400 adult males.

Police say anyone who sees the escaped prisoner should not approach him, but should dial 999.