A CAMPAIGN group is calling on HMP Winchester to investigate links between two prisoners who died within days of each other.

The Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA), formed of more than 70 groups that want to improve the justice system, said that it hopes the prison will look into the deaths of Haydn Burton and Daryl Hargrave.

The men were found in their cells before being rushed to hospital but later died.

Both incidents are being investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

Director of CJA, Ben Summerskill, said: “This is the kind of thing that we are increasingly concerned about.

“When this happens once it’s a tragedy, when it happens twice in a very short space of time we would hope that the prison itself looks very closely at whether there’s a link between these incidents.

“It’s shocking that this should be happening at all in prisons, let alone on a regular basis.”

Mr Burton, 42, formerly of Wolfe Close in Stanmore, died on July 18 after he was found hanging in his cell on July 15.

On July 19 Daryl Hargrave, 22, of Gosport, who was remanded in custody for a GBH charge, was found unresponsive in his cell.

A Prison Service spokesman said: “Staff attempted CPR, he was taken to an outside hospital but pronounced dead at 4pm.”

The Ministry of Justice was unable to say how long he had been in prison.

Senior coroner for central Hampshire, Grahame Short, has opened inquests into both deaths which are listed as hanging. Both have been adjourned to dates to be fixed.

A memorial has been set up in Winchester High Street for Mr Burton, who had become well-known in Winchester over the last couple of months for protesting for equal rights dressed as Superman with a loud hailer.

He was a member of New Fathers 4 Justice.

His friends and supporters held a vigil last Friday (July 24) outside the memorial at an empty shop in the High Street, between Cath Kidston and Lloyds Bank.

Despite the city council painting over it twice, they agreed to leave it for one week.

A spokesman said: “Winchester City Council offers its condolences to the friends and relatives of Haydn Burton. There has been some offensive graffiti which the council has removed.

“The informal memorial will be left in place for a week in recognition that some people wish to express their condolences in this way. It will then be removed.”

Shoppers this week were stopping to read the messages, including one from his grandmother that said: “God bless you my angel x”.

He also protested outside Southampton Civic Centre and during the General Election at prime minister David Cameron’s constituency in Witney.

It is thought there is a shrine to him in London created by members of New Fathers 4 Justice.

A Facebook group called ‘Justice for Haydn Burton’ has attracted 541 members.

Mr Burton, formerly of Wolfe Close, Stanmore, was being held on remand at the prison facing an allegation of assault.

He was also due to be sentenced at crown court for possession of an offensive weapon, criminal damage to a police cell, and breach of a criminal behaviour order by being anti-social.

In response to allegations that he could have done more to prevent Mr Burton’s death, MP for Winchester and Chandler’s Ford, Steve Brine, said: “Like all MPs I carry out casework for constituents in total confidence and there is also now, rightly, an inquest in this case as with every death in prison. It would not therefore be appropriate to comment further.”