A CANNABIS factory thought to be worth around £67,500 has been discovered in an upmarket area of Blackburn.

Police raided the five-bedroom detached property in Woodgates Road and uncovered 450 plants, as well as cultivation equipment.

The Edwardian house, which has views over Pendle Hill, was last listed for sale in July 2011 for £690,000.

The house which had been rented had been used to grow the drug.

Police said numerous rooms throughout the house, which had a synthetic putting green, had been used for the farm.

They were made aware of the crime after concerned residents reported suspicious activity to them.

They told the neighbourhood policing team that the windows had been blacked out and the curtains had been shut for a long time.

Doors had been removed and sealant put around the windows to ensure ideal growing conditions.

United Utilities were also called to the scene as electricity had been bypassed.

A police spokesman said: “The windows were blacked out and the curtains were closed.

“As a result of an initial call from a member of the public, police attended the address on Saturday.

“There was a professional set up numerous rooms.”

  • Two men, Gia Pham, 18, and Nhat Nguyen, 25, have been charged with producing cannabis and abstracting electricity.