The family of a prisoner who was stabbed to death while behind bars has said there is an ache in their hearts that will never go away.

Madala Washington, 25, of Abbey Parade, Wimbledon, was serving time for conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin when he was stabbed to death on April 1 at Coldingley Prison in Surrey.

April 4: Prisoner bailed after Wimbledon inmate Madala Washington is stabbed to death in Coldingley Prison

Today, he was formally identified and his family released a statement paying tribute to ‘his beautiful presence, loving spirit and aspirations for the future.’

The statement said: “Let us remember the 25 years that our son and brother has blessed us with.

"His beautiful presence, loving spirit and aspirations for the future will never be forgotten.

"As we remember his dreams, we pray that they may not be washed away with our tears but remembered every day.

"Our love will remain unshakable for our beloved Madala.

"We would like thank all family and friends that have given us support at this devastating time.

Although there is an ache in our hearts that will never go away, we are comforted knowing that God's love will give us strength until we meet again.”

A 23-year-old inmate, who was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident, has been bailed until June 2.

A post-mortem examination has been carried out which gave the result as stab wounds.

The prison service said an investigation would be carried out by the independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

Washington was convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin in 2013, after he was arrested during Metropolitan Police dawn raids against drug dealers.

Coldingley is a category C training prison in Bisley near Woking in Surrey, meaning inmates are considered unlikely to make a determined escape attempt but cannot be trusted in open conditions.

It has capacity for around 500 prisoners in five wings, where inmates are mainly housed in single cells, and is focused on the "resettlement of prisoners".

In 2015 Coldingley's independent monitoring board wrote to prisons minister Andrew Selous over its concerns about the jail.

Its report blamed an increase in home-made weapons at the prison and illegal drugs on cuts to the number of prison officers and staff.

Officers from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team launched a murder investigation following the incident and are continuing to carry out a number of enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the death.