A well screen (101) having a base pipe (103), a filter layer (105) arranged around the base pipe (103), and a discrete mesh outer standoff layer (107) arranged around the filter layer (105) in a first spiral wrap (109) is provided. The first spiral wrap (109) comprises a first succession of loops such that a trailing edge of a next one of the first succession of loops is in contact, or in overlap, with a leading edge of a previous one of the first succession of loops; and to produce a compressive force on the filter layer (105) radially towards the base pipe (103).
