A large scale cannabis factory was found on a small industrial estate at Pershore thanks to a member of the public.

A man, walking past business units on Goodwood Road, Pershore, contacted the police yesterday evening, Thursday, December 12, saying he could smell cannabis coming from a building.

Police officers from West Mercia attended and executed warrants at the site where they found four rooms containing several hundred plants. In three of the rooms the plants had been stripped of their leaves and another room contained about 200 growing plants.

Due to the nature of the wiring in the building, officers secured the building until this morning when Western Power Distribution could attend to switch off the power supply.

Officers are now collecting evidence and arranging for the plants to be removed and destroyed, as well as carrying out inquiries to identify those responsible.

Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Williamson said: “We would like to thank the member of the public who contacted us. His vigilance and prompt action has helped us to terminate a significant cannabis production operation.

“We will act whenever we receive information that drugs are being produced in our community, so if anyone knows of any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood, please let us know.”

Information can be passed on to West Mercia Police via the non-emergency police number 101 or anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.