A 'SOPHISTICATED' cannabis farm, believed to have a street value of £50,000, has been discovered at a house after a gang tried to break into a terraced house in Nelson.

Police said at least 100 mature plants were found at the home in Vaughan Street early yesterday.

They were called to reports of a burglary with neighbours saying they saw four men with balaclavas trying to break down the front door before they fled in a white van.

And when officers arrived, the discovered the haul. Police have not revealed the value of the haul however it is estimated to be around £50,000.

They are still hunting the owner of the plants and the people who tried to break in.

Crime scene investigators wearing masks could be seen going in and out of the property yesterday while dozens of bags were piled up in the front garden.

Neighbours have spoken of their shock after being woken in the middle of the night to the sound of the doors being smashed in.

Bushra Khanum said her nephew was woken up at about 12.30am.

She said: "He heard the banging. Four men came with masks on and smashed all door then the police turned up.

"The whole neighbourhood came outside when they heard the noise and the four guys ran off.

"I had never seen them but I had heard there was a couple with a young child living at the house."

The 44-year-old, who has lived in the street for 12 years, said it used to be quiet but there had been more crime recently.

She said: "I am shocked. It is our neighbourhood and it is too much.

"It is frightening. We used to walk around to each others houses until about 10pm but now we try not to go out. We have to be very careful."

Another resident, who gave her name as Nazia, said her daughter saw four men, some wearing face coverings, smashing the door in.

She said: "They smashed the front door but the middle door was all boarded up so they could not get in.

"As soon as people started coming outside they fled in a white van.

"The police arrived shortly after and have been there all morning.

"We did not realise anything was going on in there. There was a lot of cannabis smell in the street but we did not realise it was there.

"I never saw anyone but you noticed little things changing like one day there was a milk bottle in the window and then they put a few plants outside. I think that was to make people think they were living there."

Another neighbour said: "When I saw the police vans were still there this morning I thought there had been a murder, then they said it was a cannabis farm.

"I had no idea. You could smell it but I thought it was coming up from Southfield Street.

"I have been here 22 years and I would never have thought it would be on our street. It is scary."

Another said: "It is normally a quiet, friendly street and good neighbourhood.

"There are a lot of kids living here and we all look out for each other. Nobody knew about it.

"It is just very recently things have been happening.

"I am going to be extra-vigilant. I'm going to put CCTV up."

Insp Andy Winter said: "We dismantled a sophisticated cannabis farm with approximately 100 mature plants spread across the rooms of a house on Vaughan Street.

“This followed a report of a burglary at the same address overnight.

"Officers attended the house only to find the suspects had made off.

"Enquiries are ongoing to trace the owner of the plants and the people who tried to break in to the house.

"Anyone with information can report it online or call us on 101 quoting incident reference 0029 of September 19."