Soham murderer Ian Huntley is suing the prison service after being attacked by another inmate.

Huntley, who is serving a life sentence for killing schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, had his throat slashed with a razor blade in March and now claims the prison service failed in their duty of care towards him.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Ian Huntley is bringing a claim against the Ministry of Justice following an assault by another prisoner. The claim is currently being vigorously defended."

The former school caretaker, who murdered the 10-year-old friends in Cambridgeshire in 2002, was left scarred by the attack at Frankland Prison, Co Durham.

Earlier this year, then justice secretary Jack Straw said the government had "absolutely no intention" of paying compensation to Huntley over the attack.

It has been reported that Huntley could claim nearly £100,000 in damages in a case that could cost tax payers more than £1 million in legal aid fees.

It's the second time Huntley has been attacked in jail. An inmate threw boiling water on him while he was in the health care wing of high security Wakefield Prison, West Yorkshire, in September 2005.

He also tried to commit suicide in prison on three occasions. He was moved to HMP Frankland, a Category A high security men's prison, in 2008. That year, HM Inspectorate of Prisons raised concerns about violence at the jail.