investigation into the incident dubbed "very serious'' by acting Health and Social Services Minister Mr. Quinton Edness.

Mr. Edness who only learned of the incident yesterday, claimed he was "extremely concerned'' that he had not been informed earlier. He held the Heath and Social Services post when the Government Cabinet dissolved on Friday.

Prison officers were allegedly locked in control rooms while maximum security prisoners barricaded themselves into the unit and rampaged, pulling out fire hoses and smashing doors and windows.

The incident erupted on Thursday after a 27-year-old maximum security prisoner jailed for grievous bodily harm and knife assaults, was denied permission to attend his father's funeral and put into segregation.

Back-up officers were called out but a compromise was not reached until a senior prison officer backed down over the decision and allowed the prisoner to attend the funeral.

Mr. Edness said inmates barricaded themselves into a unit for about an hour while prison officers talked to them. Mr. Edness claimed he was told that no one was injured in the incident but some equipment was damaged.

However, information received by The Royal Gazette revealed that one of the prisoners suffered minor injuries in the uprising.

"It was very serious and we are treating it as such,'' Mr. Edness said.

"That fact that they would attempt to do something against prison rules is serious. I'm very concerned -- I'm extremely concerned,'' he said.

A full inquiry has been launched into what provoked the uprising, how prisoners were able to barricade themselves in and why Westgate had been so slow to inform the Minister.

Mr. Edness also said there appeared to be a fault in the locking system.

Prison Commissioner Mr. Edward Dyer refused to give any further details.

"There was an incident and it was serious,'' said Prison Commissioner Mr.

Edward Dyer. "It happened while I was at my office and was over by the time I left.

"I know nothing that has been confirmed. The matter is being investigated. At the outcome it will be determined if anyone will be held responsible. Until then I am not in a position to say anything,'' he said.

Mr. Dyer said a report on the uprising would be ready early in the week. His comments came in response to an anonymous tip-off received by The Royal Gazette yesterday alleging that the Commissioner had allowed the inmate to attend his father's funeral on Saturday but that his decision had been overturned by a subordinate.

Mr. Dyer said permission to attend funerals was made on a merit basis and each case was assessed individually. There is no blanket policy allowing maximum security inmates to be released for funerals.

Yesterday the inmate's uncle said he had originally been informed his nephew would not be allowed to attend his father's funeral but following a telephone conversation with Mr. Dyer, the inmate had been given the go-ahead. He said he knew nothing of a change in plan.

"I must give credit to Mr. Dyer. In the end he made the final decision and the boy was able to attend. It must have been a subordinate that made this ridiculous decision,'' the man said. However, he was outraged that his nephew had been handcuffed throughout the service and surrounded by four prison officers.

"They made him look like a mass murderer. The only time they didn't handcuff him was at the grave side. Everyone was talking about it.'' But the prisoner's mother admitted her son had undergone personality changes since a head injury two years ago and that he had been in trouble for injuring other prison inmates.

"They didn't have to let him out. I am very grateful to the prison officers and Mr. Dyer. There should be no blame put on Westgate,'' she said. "They had to watch my son very carefully.'' She said her son had behaved well but appeared tense. He had said nothing to her about Thursday's events, she said.