Riot police have arrived at a prison in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo where more than 800 inmates have been staging a rebellion since Sunday afternoon.

The hostages include hundreds of women and children

They are holding 600 people inside the jail in the town of Sorocaba. Most of the hostages are women and children related to the inmates, who were visiting when the takeover began. There are also 17 prison officials.

Negotiations between the prisoners and the authorities are continuing, but reports from the scene suggest that the situation inside is becoming more desperate.

The prisoners want an armoured car

Police in the state of Sao Paulo say the prisoners are still demanding that the leaders of the rebellion be allowed to escape in an armoured car, and this, say the authorities, is the one thing they will not contemplate.

Hundreds of women and children are now entering their third day within the walls of the compound, in searing heat and with stocks of food and water running down.

The few women who have left the prison say that many of their companions are staying inside because they fear that the jail will be attacked by the police as soon as they leave.

The BBC's Brazil correspondent says conditions are probably worse for the prison officials being held hostage by the inmates.

A member of the Prison Officers Union says they are being tortured by their captors and television pictures from outside the jail showed a semi-naked man being beaten on the roof. It was not clear whether he was a prison officer or one of the inmates.

The inmates are believed to have tied grenades to the feet of a number of prison guards.

Police view the remains of two getaway cars used by inmates

Reports suggest the rebellion began when a small group of inmates attempted to escape from the jail wearing wigs and women's clothing. Their plan failed and the subsequent shoot-out between the inmates and guards left two people dead. At that point the 850 prisoners decided to take hostages.
 

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