Prisoner on the run in Brighton after escaping from Royal Sussex Hospital

A prisoner is on the run in Brighton after escaping from the Royal Sussex Hospital in the early hours of this morning.

Police are searching for Jamie Halifax, who left the hospital after being taken there for medical treatment by the Prison Service, the BBC reports.

The Prison Service said a thorough investigation would be carried out.

Neither police or the Prison Service have revealed what offence Halifax committed and the length of his prison term, although it is known he was wanted for robbery and possessing an offensive weapon in the past.

Halifax, who left the hospital at about 12.40am, is described as white, 5ft 8in, with a slim build and shaven brown hair.

Members of the public who see him have been requested not to approach him but to call Sussex Police.

A spokesman for the Prison Service said: “A thorough investigation will be carried out into the circumstances of this incident. Security is an absolute priority for our prisons and escapes are extremely rare.

“Our immediate priority is working with the police to ensure the recapture of Jamie Halifax.”