A day out being offered as a raffle prize to prisoners at a Lancashire jail has been withdrawn after the governor revealed he knew nothing about it.
Inmates at HMP Kirkham, an open prison, can enter the competition for £1 if they help make a Christmas lunch for elderly people at a nearby day centre.
Earlier the Prison Service said the winner would get a "single town visit".
But the jail later withdrew the prize and admitted the governor "was not aware" of it.
A spokesman for the Prison Service said: "The governor will consider an appropriate prize for the draw in due course.
"He was not aware that a town visit was being offered as a prize and it has been withdrawn."
'Public safety'
Prison chiefs refused to say who had been behind the prize, which they claimed was designed to encourage good behaviour.
Inmates in open prisons are allowed out unsupervised, but each case is individually assessed, the prison service said.
Prisoners entering the raffle will help out at Milbanke Day Centre, in Kirkham.
A Prison Service spokesman said: "Public protection is our top priority and the rehabilitation of offenders is a vital part of this process.
"All prisoners are rigorously risk assessed before release on temporary licence and no prisoners are released if there are concerns for public safety."
HMP Kirkham is a category D training prison with a capacity for 590 prisoners.
