Winchester Prison inmates are reading bedtime stories to their children, thanks to a new scheme called "Storybook Dads".

They can't be at their bedsides, but they are recording story tapes for their families to listen to at home. The scheme is based in the new prison library.

Lee Budd (27) has made three CDs for his five-year-old daughter. He is due out next year after serving a seven-year sentence for GBH. "She loves them. When I was home, I used to read to her every night.

"Obviously, I can't do that here, so she puts the CDs on and listens over and over again. Her mum listens with her. I tell everyone on my wing it is a really good thing to do if you've got kids."

Lee has just recorded a five-minute story of 101 Dalmatians using a microphone and minidisk recorder. This was then downloaded onto computer, so it could be edited on screen. Music and sound-effects, including dogs barking, were added, giving it a professional sound. The CD gets a colourful label before being posted home.

Lee is one of 25 prisoners and their families to have benefited since the project started last May. It is run by HCC librarian, Sarah Millard, who got it off the ground with the help of prison officer, Mike Hartless, who set up funding and got the thumbs-up from prison governors.

Sarah said: "The prisoners record messages for their children as an introduction to the story, telling them to get into bed and that sort of stuff. It is really lovely.

"I can't begin to explain how important it is to keep up family communication and to be able to do this sort of thing is fantastic. The children love listening to their fathers' voices."

Digital editing means a prisoner can tell a story regardless of reading ability. Sarah said: "If prisoners can't read, I read the story and they repeat it. Then my voice is edited out."

Brainchild of a writer-in-residence at Dartmoor Prison, "Storybook Dads" has also been linked to a parenting project at Winchester, with inmates listening to the story tapes.

Inmate Josh Anwar (21), who studied for an A-level in computing and hopes to get a job in IT on his release, edits the CDs on a small editing suite bought with a £1,500 grant from the charity, Unlock.

Josh, serving a six-year sentence, said: "The feedback has been very positive. The men are happy and so are their kids. It is vital to keep that link between parent and child and being part of that is great."