Soham killer Ian Huntley has suffered serious injuries after being attacked in prison.
Durham Constabulary said a prisoner, understood to be Huntley, was assaulted on Thursday morning at HMP Frankland in County Durham before being rushed to hospital.
A spokesman for the force said: “Police were alerted to an assault which had taken place within HMP Frankland in Durham this morning.
“A male prisoner suffered serious injuries during the incident and was transported to hospital.
“A police investigation is now under way into the circumstances of the incident and detectives are liaising with staff at the prison.”
The Sun, which first reported the attack, said he was knocked unconscious with a metal pole and quoted a source saying his condition was “touch and go”.
Former caretaker Huntley killed 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets in Soham, Cambridgeshire, on August 4 2002, then dumped their bodies in a ditch.
He is serving a life sentence for their murders.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “A prisoner is receiving treatment after an incident at HMP Frankland on Thursday morning.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further while police investigate.”
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