Ian Huntley 'tells inmates to call him Lian'

Soham murderer Ian Huntley is reportedly asking fellow inmates to call him by the name "Lian".

He is currently serving life in prison with a minimum of 40 years for the 2002 murders of ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

A source told The Sun that Huntley is "telling everyone to call him 'Lian', and is signing things for them with the feminised version of his name" in Durham's Frankland jail, which also houses Milly Dowler's murderer Levi Bellfield and notorious serial killer Peter Sutcliffe.

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"It's getting him loads of attention and he feels like a bit of a celebrity inside," the source added.

"He's taking pleasure in signing everything for as many inmates as possible with his new name and the canteen sells eye shadow and foundation so if he wants to look more like a woman, he can."

With roughly 80 transgender inmates in jail in England and Wales, the sale of cosmetics is part of efforts to cater for those who want to change gender, says the Daily Telegraph.

Previous reports have said Huntley planned to undergo gender reassignment surgery.

But a Prison Service spokesman told the Sun Huntley was definitely not planning to switch gender.