POLICE have uncovered a cannabis farm worth an estimated £96,000 a year at an address in Eccleston.

A Misuse of Drugs Act warrant was carried out at around 8.25pm on Monday (July 16) at a property in Dunriding Lane and the farm, containing 24 plants was, discovered.

The plants have an estimated annual yield of £96,000. The electricity had also been abstracted.

Community Policing Sergeant, Neil Birkett said said: "Cannabis cultivation by criminal gangs can and does cause serious harm in our communities.

"Our communities can help us stop these groups, who are only interested in making money, from turning properties like this one into potential death traps.

"Nobody wants to live next door to these places and we would ask that if you believe someone is using a property for this purpose, please tell us so we can take positive action and find those responsible for setting them up.”

Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:

• Strange smells and sounds
• Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times
• Gardening equipment being taken into a property, such as plant pots, fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting
• Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are permanently closed
• Heat from an adjoining property
• Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather
• Individually these activities may seem commonplace, however, together may indicate something more sinister

Anyone with any information can contact @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.