HUNDREDS of cannabis plants were seized after police discovered drugs factories set up in two terrace houses.

Rooms in properties in Bank Street and Laurel Avenue, Darwen, were converted into cannabis factories with extensive lighting and ventilation systems, officers said.

Police said five hundred plants were found in the front room of the house in Bank Street along with sophisticated cultivation equipment.

Neighbours said they saw up to 20 bags of the drug being removed from the Laurel Avenue property.

The drugs were discovered when police executed warrants at the two addresses as part of an investigation prompted by suspicious neighbours.

A Bank Street resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "There were three young guys and a middle-aged bloke who came and went in there. I thought they were students.

"It's a big house and the rent was high. We wondered at the time how they could afford it.

"We rarely saw them, apart from in Sainsbury's a few times."

United Utilities disconnected the power supply to the house on Saturday morning, which involved digging up the pavement in front of the house.

A next-door-neighbour said that they had noticed that the house was very warm.

High temperatures are a key element in the growing of cannabis plants.

The neighbour said: "I did think my wall downstairs was very warm but never put two and two together.

"I know for certain that they haven't been taking electricity off us though, we check it regularly."

Another neighbour said: "There'll be less noise around here now and more room to park because there have been a load of big, flashy cars in the area recently."

An eye-witness to the Laurel Street raid spoke of seeing "20 bags being put in the back of a blue police van."

The witness, who asked not to be named, said: "There was a lot of banging going on so we went to have a look and saw the police there.

"There was soil and concrete all over the floor of the house."

Neighbour Amanda Snape, 36, said: "We got a letter off the police a while ago saying about drugs in the area, so they must have had their suspicions for a while."

Inspector Andrea Bradbury said: "This was a significant seizure of cannabis as part of an ongoing investigation into drugs activity in the area.

"As a result of information received from members of the public, this demonstrates that we do listen to community concerns and will take action.

"We will always welcome information from the community and I urge anyone who is concerned about drugs activity in their community to contact Darwen CID on 01254 353841 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

l A 24-year-old man has been charged with the production of cannabis.

He appeared before Blackburn Magistrates on Monday and was remanded in custody.