Lewes Prison has been ranked among the top four jails in England and Wales.

The performance table ranking is a huge boost for the prison, which a year ago came 134th out of 135 jails in the same league tables.

Staff said they would restore the prison's reputation following repeated criticism of conditions and a number of suicides.

Deputy governor Guy Baulf said staff were "very pleased" with the results of the most recent Prison Service performance tables.

He said: "We are obviously delighted that after such a difficult period we have been able to progress Lewes Prison in such a positive direction."

He said the two big issues responsible for the previous poor ranking had been an escape and continuing drug problems.

The number of prisoners testing positive for drug use has been cut from 31.4 per cent to 16 per cent.

The performance figures do not take into account prisoner suicides. Five inmates killed themselves last year. Only Durham Prison, with six suicides, fared worse in 2002.

Last month the prison's Board of Visitors said the jail had become a safer, happier and healthier place in the last 12 months.

The watchdog group still had concerns about overcrowding, dingy conditions in the segregation unit, too few education and work programmes and the number of deaths in custody.