PRISONERS in a Buckinghamshire jail will be treated to special meals over the festive period.

Those behind bars in HMP Grendon Springhill in Aylesbury will also get to take part in game competitions such as table tennis.

Meals in prisons over Christmas and New Year are paid for from within the existing budget and at no extra cost to the taxpayer.

A spokesman from the Ministry of Justice said: "Prison rules require that prisoners are provided with three meals a day that are varied and nutritious and that meet the religious, cultural, and medical needs of all."

This year's Christmas lunch menu includes a festive vegan slice, pork, apple and black pudding pie, salmon en croute, chicken breast and herb butter, roast turkey, pig in blanket and stuffing and for dessert, Christmas pudding with custard.

For dinner, prisoners can choose from a Mexican bean roll, salt fish paty, chicken curry slice, beef or a vegan sausage roll.

Snacks also include a satsuma, milk, chocolate log, mince pie and crisps.

Meanwhile, prisoners will either tuck into a gammon steak on Christmas Eve or smoked mackerel or a roast chicken leg.

Other options on the menu for lunch include a cauliflower pasty or a butternut squash and couscous salad.

For dinner, a plant based pasty, chicken tikka pasty, steak slice, traditional beef pasty or noodles will be on offer.

For snacks, prisoners will get a piece of fruit, crisps, cake slice, milk and a gingerbread man.

The Ministry of Justice explained games haven't yet been decided for the day.

They did say: "The games or activities taking place throughout the day have not yet been decided. They will, however, be based upon usual provision during association periods such as pool, table tennis, and/or chess, for example."

On Boxing Day, the menu is slightly different with pork sausage rolls, a fish and veg sweet chilli, teriyaki chicken leg or a chicken sweetcorn salad served. The vegetarian options including a spicy bean burger.

For dinner on Boxing Day, chicken and mushroom slices, jerk chicken patties, vegetable curry pasties a vegetable pie and a fruit pack will be served up.

For snacks, prisoners will get the usual milk, fruit, crisps, fruit cake and juice.

New Year's Eve is another celebration in the festive calendar.

It's not clear whether prisoners will stay up until midnight to welcome the New Year but here is what they will be eating.

For Lunch on December 31, prisoners can enjoy a cauliflower pasty or a smoked haddock, mozzarella and spring onion dish, roast chicken leg, breaded pork cutlet and a fruit pack.

For dinner, there will be a plant based pasty, lamb sausage rolls, chicken tikka pasty, cheese and onion slice or noodles.

Snacks on the day include crisps, banana, shortcake, Viennese mince tart, juice or milk.

On New Year's Day, the lunch menu features a gammon steak with pineapple, salmon and vegetable sweet chilli, chicken breast with mushroom sauce, roast beef and Yorkshire puddings or a festive vegan slice.

For dinner, prisoners in Aylesbury can enjoy a chicken Balti pie, sausage, bean and cheese pasty, vegetable pie, Mexican bean roll and fruit pack.

And as always, snacks include milk, crisps, fruit, yoghurt, chocolate biscuit and juice.