POLICE have arrested a man after they found a cannabis farm at a house.

Officers seized 51 cannabis plants from a house in Parr this morning (Friday, May 29) after they executed a warrant.

They also found growing equipment across three rooms on the first floor of the property. The electricity had also been abstracted.

A 42-year-old man from St Helens was arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation and has been taken for questioning.

St Helens Star:

Sergeant Kath Rackham said: "Had it made it to the streets, the cannabis found at this property this morning could have caused significant harm in our community and lined the pockets of criminals who care only about making money from the misery of others.

“Cannabis farms pose a very serious risk of fire and flooding, and any drug dealing has the ability to attract serious violence as dealers use force to try to keep their illicit business going.

“The streets of Parr are safer now that these drugs have been taken out of circulation, and I want to take this opportunity to ask that the public keep reporting any suspicious smells, sights or visitors at properties. If you report it, we will take action.”

If you have any information about suspected drug production in your area, please contact @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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

ENDS