Ian Huntley has been blinded from his jail beating last week and is "highly" unlikely to survive the attack, it has been claimed. The 52-year-old double murderer is on life support after being assaulted with a spiked metal pole at HMP Frankland in County Durham.

Huntley, who is serving a life sentence for murdering schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002, is not expected to regain consciousness after the brutal attack. He was reportedly struck up to 15 times with the pole by 43-year-old triple killer and rapist Anthony Russell in a prison workshop.

As reported by The Sun, a source said: "It is now looking like he will not pull through, barring a miracle. Huntley never recovered from the battering and never stood much of a chance of doing so.

"His condition has not really improved since day one despite the best efforts of doctors. It looks like it’s only a matter of time. It could be days, it could be weeks. It is probably for the best. Few people will shed a tear."

Russell, who is suspected of attacking Huntley last Thursday (February 26), allegedly boasted: "I’ve done it! I’ve done it! I’ve killed him, I’ve killed him!" A source reported that Huntley's head was "split in two" while his mother, who has travelled to be at his bedside, told friends her son was unrecognisable after the attack.

A source added: "The medics have worked wonders in keeping him alive so long and have to treat every patient the same.

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"But they are monitoring him really closely and he is not responding well or showing signs of recovery. They have been doing brain stem tests and they don’t look good for Huntley.

"And if, by some miracle, he does survive he is likely to be blind and there won’t be much of him left. He got hit in the eyes with the pole and has also suffered brain trauma which would affect his vision. His head injuries are so bad you would not be able to identify him in the hospital."

Huntley's mum, 71-year-old Lynda Richards, drove 175 miles from her home in Lincolnshire to be with him in hospital. He was reportedly given a 5% chance of survival by doctors following the attack.

Although they have a suspect, police are yet to make an arrest in connection with the prison attack. Durham Constabulary said: "A 52-year-old man remains in hospital in a serious condition."

Meanwhike, a Prison Service spokesperson said: "It would be inappropriate to comment while police investigate."