A leading prison reform group has called on the government to take action to halt the rise in the number of people being jailed.

As prison numbers soar to an all time high, the Howard League for Penal reform has called for action to halt a crisis in Britain's jails.

There are now 68,300 men and women in prison the UK. The number represents an increase of over a third over the last decade.

The group has accused David Blunkett of "looking the other way" as the prison population rises as a result of the government's tough law and order measures.

Frances Crook, the group's director, said: "A national crisis of over-crowding is looming and an emergency plan is needed now. The home secretary is looking the other way whilst the prisons overflow."

Describing many jail terms as "unnecessary", Crook said the government's prisons-centred approach was "costing the taxpayer a fortune and is likely to add to the problem of crime, both inside prisons and on release".

The government has pledged to review its penal policy, although its critics say the plans have been shelved as ministers shift their attention to the anti-terror legislation introduced since the September 11 attacks in the US.