PATIENTS at the secure hospital which holds Moors murderer Ian Brady staged a rooftop protest after a smoking ban was introduced.

Three patients at Liver- pool’s high security Ashworth Hospital climbed onto the roof of a ward at around 7.30pm on Monday in the protest, which ended in the early hours of yesterday (6Tue) morning.

The Prison Officers Asso- ciation (POA) said last night members had claimed a ward was "smashed up" in the protest but the trust which runs the facility did not release any details about damage.

Brian Caton, general secre- tary of the POA, said: "I spoke to branch officials there (at Ashworth) and they said patients had smashed up Blake Ward, I think, which is an admission ward.

"It was our members who went in to remove those who were not involved in it."

A spokesman for Mersey Care NHS Trust, which runs Ashworth, said there was "no risk to the community or individuals".

He said: "A rooftop protest by three patients from the admission ward at Ashworth Hospital which began on Monday evening ended peacefully in the early hours of this morning."

He added: "It is believed to be related to the smoking ban."

Martin Brown, a director at the hospital, said: "There are stringent policies and proce- dures at the hospital to deal with incidents such as these and staff swiftly put them into action and the incident was resolved peace- fully. All the wards at Ashworth Hospital are single storey and at no time was the public put at risk."

Merseyside Police said they were called to the protest and sent a negotiator.

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said: "We were called at 10.50pm to reports of patients climbing onto the roof in protest. We sent a police negotiator but it looks as though he was not needed. The hospital put their own plans into action.

"The police negotiator stood down at 5am."

The POA also called for "urgent talks" with the Trust which runs the secure hospital to discuss proposed changes in staffing levels at the site and to prevent further rooftop demonstrations.

Mr Caton said: "The staff at Ashworth and in all our secure hospitals face a difficult and challenging job everyday.

"The events of yesterday came as no surprise to the union because the patients in our care are extremely vulnerable.

"The POA call for urgent talks with the authority to avert any reoccurrence of last night and to ensure the hospital provides safe, secure and decent conditions for staff and patients alike, whilst protecting the public.’’