NSW prison escapee arrested in Newcastle after more than two months on the run

A NSW prison escapee has been caught in Newcastle carrying a shotgun and cannabis, after more than two months on the run.

The 34-year-old man escaped with a fellow prisoner from a minimum security correctional centre at Glen Innes in the state's New England region in October.

While one prisoner was captured the day after the escape, the 34-year-old remained on the loose until Thursday when he was arrested in a street in the centre of Newcastle, police said.

It's alleged by police the man committed armed robberies at a department store and a supermarket in Kempsey in November.

He has been charged with a string of offences including escaping lawful custody, possessing ammunition without authority and two counts of robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon.

He has been refused bail and is due to appear at Newcastle Local Court this afternoon.