Former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has been killed in jail where he was serving a long sentence for child sex abuse. A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police confirmed they were called to Wakefield Prison after "an assault" on Saturday morning, October 11.

They said emergency services were called after an assault on a prisoner was reported to police. The police force confirmed that a man was pronounced dead at the scene.

News agency PA say sources have confirmed it was Ian Watkins.

Detectives from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team are investigating and enquiries remain ongoing at the scene.

The sex offender was serving 29 years at Wakefield Prison in West Yorkshire.

It has been reported that the incident happened as inmates were unlocked from their cells this morning.

The prison went into lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the incident, sources added.

The 48-year-old was jailed in 2013 after admitting 13 sex offences which a judge said "plumbed new depths of depravity", including the attempted rape of a baby.

He was given an extended sentence which included a 29-year prison term followed by an additional six years on licence.

Ian Watkins found fame and fortune as frontman of the rock band Lostprophets until he was unmasked as a paedophile.

The band from Pontypridd sold millions of records worldwide and had four top 10 UK albums.

Watkins had long protested his innocence from the day of his arrest in 2012 up until the day of his trial a year later where he finally admitted what he had done. Watkins was described in court as a "determined and committed paedophile".

In a statement issued on Saturday evening, a spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "At 9.39am this morning (Saturday), police were called by staff at HMP Wakefield reporting an assault on a prisoner.

"Emergency services attended and the man was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later."