Three prisoners serving sentences for rape, grievous bodily harm and robbery have absconded from an open prison.

Admi Headley, Wayne Maycock and Paul Bromwich where last seen at HMP Leyhill, a Category D prison in South Gloucestershire at 4.45pm on Sunday.

The men have links with Manchester and are considered to be a risk to the public according to Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

Headley, 34, is described as black, 5ft 10in tall, of slim build with brown eyes and short black hair and has a tattoo on his left arm.

Maycock, 33, is white, 6ft 3in tall, of medium build with green eyes and brown hair.He has a tattoo on his right shoulder and scars on his forehead and both arms.

The third inmate, Bromwich, 54, who also goes by the name Smith, is 6ft tall, of medium build and has blue eyes. He wears glasses and has a scar on the left side of his face and tattoos on both arms.

Police urged anyone who sees Headley, Maycock or Bromwhich to phone 999 and tell the call handler they are phoning in relation to log 1050 of 13/11.

The disappearance comes less than a week after two men escaped from HMP Pentonville in North London. Although both inmates have now been apprehended the break-out has led to criticism of the prison service.