A CANNABIS farm which is believed to have been in operation for more than a year has been busted by police in Hilperton.

The factory, which was housed inside a chicken shed in Whaddon Lane, was discovered after police were called out to reports of a burglary at a nearby property at 12.30pm on Tuesday.

Three cannabis plants, along with lighting and ventilation equipment were seized in the operation and will be destroyed.

Sergeant Jeff Rice said: “We were called to a report of a burglary which was actually at a property two doors down but on searching the area we have come across a cannabis farm.

“When we entered there were only a few plants and we think someone has stolen someone else’s stash.

“It’s a well thought out and put together set-up though as they have re-wired the electrics to bypass the metre and set-up a ventilation system along with all the lighting equipment.

“The way the electrics had been wired is a big safety concern and as it is a wooden building, the whole place could have gone up in a short space of time if a fire started.

“The factory has been here for quite some time, I would have thought at least twelve months, but it’s impossible to say how much money would have been made from this.

“A number of plants would have come away from this building though and it would have been a large amount of money looking at the size of the operation, but they won’t be earning anymore now that we have seized everything.

“No arrest has been made yet but we are continuing to make further enquires.”