Herbal tea is emerging as the latest remedy to help to bring peace and quiet to overcrowded jails in England and Wales.

The beneficial effects of two special blends of tea have proved so effective in one jail that staff have reduced reliance on dispensing sedatives to women inmates. Many women at Downview jail, in Surrey, now rely on the calming effective of a cup of herbal tea rather than a sedative to help to calm them and assist sleep.