Female prison workers have resigned over allegations of affairs with inmates.

The two women, who work at HMP Lewes, left the all-male jail after being investigated for "inappropriate behaviour" in the last few months.

Prison officer Emma Smart, 23, resigned after falling in love with Nicky Cramp, 27, who is serving an 18-month sentence but is now due to be released.

Cramp was jailed earlier this year for deliberately driving a speeding van into a group of pedestrians outside a pub.

Miss Smart, of Chichester Road, Seaford, was forced to quit her £20,000-a-year job after a love-letter she wrote to Cramp was found in his cell.

She said: "Nothing physical happened, all I sent was one love letter. It was all words, that was as far as it went.

"I didn't put up a fight about it because of the shame of it. I'm not proud of what happened.

"I never thought it would happen in a million years but, unfortunately, working in very close proximity you get on with some people better than others.

"I just happened to get on with this one prisoner very well. I resigned because the governor approached me about the letter.

"I admitted it and said I felt absolutely terrible about it. I was loyal to the Prison Service and I loved my job.

"Unfortunately I was led by my heart and not by my brain.

"The governor was very good and said he didn't blame me or think bad of me."

But Miss Smart is looking forward to being reunited with Cramp when he is freed.

She added: "He is the kind of bloke I would meet in a pub or club. His story is very unfortunate as to why he is inside.

"It was just stupid but he is not a violent person. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I went to the court case so that I knew he was not spinning me a lie.

"It doesn't surprise me that there has been so many relationships going on at the prison. I'm glad I'm not the only one."

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that there have been a number of allegations of inappropriate relationships between staff and prisoners at HMP Lewes in recent months.

"Two members of staff have resigned and another is currently suspended while a full investigation into these allegations takes place. Obviously we cannot comment on this while investigations are under way.

"We take allegations such as these very seriously and will not tolerate any inappropriate relationships. Any member of staff found to have had an inappropriate relationship with a prisoner will be liable to dismissal."