Published: Friday, 3rd July, 2009 9:30am

Fire alert smokes out cannabis den in Windsor

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FIREFIGHTERS called to a house in Windsor after a neighbour reported seeing smoke coming from a window got much more than they bargained for.

After breaking in to the property the crew from Windsor Green watch came face-to-face with a drugs factory containing thousands of pounds worth of cannabis plants.

More than 100 plants and cultivating equipment were seized by Thames Valley Police from the £660,000 home in secluded Dower Park, St Leonard"s Hill, following the incident on Sunday night. One firefighter said: 'There was no fire, but the house was a cannabis factory, the whole of the upstairs was full of plants.

'The electricity had been rigged up and it appears someone might have been smoking outside and scarpered beforehand. It was quite shocking really especially in that area where the houses are really nice.' The four-bedroom house was placed under police surveillance on Sunday night and officers cleared the house of plants on Monday which have since been destroyed.

An investigation is now under way to trace the occupants of the £2,500-a-month rented property who were not at home when the alarm was raised.

Neighbours in the exclusive private road were shocked to hear about the find. One said: 'There was a family of four living there, but they disappeared about three months ago. I thought the house was empty. Everyone keeps themselves to themselves so I didn"t think there was anything suspicious.'

Borough councillor Phillip Bicknell, who lives nearby, said: 'I am absolutely shocked. It is not the sort of thing you want in the middle of where you live. I hope that the police get to the bottom of it and bring someone to book over it.'