Three escaped NSW inmates caught

Three men who escaped from a rural NSW prison have been caught in the state's north.

Justin Brown, 18, Mathew Cummings, 19, and Narjik Newman, 24, escaped from the minimum-security prison near Brewarrina on Wednesday afternoon.

By 4pm (AEDT), the trio were reported missing, sparking a widespread search.

The group's prison uniforms were found during the search.

Police say it is believed they were caught in Moree, not far from the prison.

They say the three inmates are serving sentences for offences ranging from theft and assault to attempted armed robbery.