A CANNABIS factory with plants worth up to £100,000 has been discovered at a house on a routine police call out.

A plain clothes police constable went out to the property in Springbourne, Bournemouth, when someone called in with concerns about the house.

But when the PC got to the family-sized home he discovered more than 100 plants being kept all over the house and called in for more officers.

PC Rob Donnelly and colleagues from the safer neighbourhood team have been carrying out a week-long operation with Bournemouth council to target drugs and drink in the area.

He said: “As part of the action an officer discovered a cannabis factory.

“It was very substantial and in excess of 100 plants being grown in a residential property.

“Basically every room in the house was being used for cultivation except one left spare where someone was sleeping and eating.”

Nobody was at the property when officers arrived so the search has started for those involved including the “gardener” – the term used for someone who lives on a property to look after the plants.

PC Donnelly was out on a raid on Wednesday where a team of ten officers executed a misuse of drugs act warrant to enter a small flat in Frances Road.

There they found six plants before a man was arrested and charged for cultivating the class B drug. A woman was also arrested and bailed.

An armed response vehicle was among the team used for that operation after local residents provided information on the property.

The safer neighbourhood team has been working with Bournemouth council and using up to 10 officers a day this week to try and clamp down on anti social behaviour in Springbourne.

PC Donnelly said finding the second, larger haul will have a “big impact on the drugs scene locally”.

“It’s a good result and it shows residents we are acting on information that’s coming in,” he added.

As part of the Springbourne operation this week officers have used 10 section 27 dismissal orders to remove groups from different areas.

And councillor David Kelsey said he was pleased to see the area being looked at to prevent it from “being dragged down”.

He said: “The police have said everybody is concentrating on Boscombe and as part of that people get pushed to other areas and unfortunately this is attracting a few of them to Springbourne.

“So I’m very happy that they are clamping down on the problem before it starts.”