Police have busted a cannabis factory containing hundreds of plants in a quiet residential street.

Officers smashed the glass in the front door of the home, in Fleetwood Avenue, Westcliff, at 10.30am yesterday.

Once inside, they discovered a production set-up growing hundreds of cannabis plants, many around 3ft high, in the three-bedroom property.

One upstairs room was a sea of green leaves flourishing under specialist heating and lighting equipment hanging from the ceiling.

The room next door contained rows of smaller, younger plants.

Police officers from the Leigh community focus team discovered more cannabis plants growing in the loft.

They were watered via an irrigation system linked to a bathroom.

Each of the rooms had their windows shut and blinds drawn and a strong smell of cannabis plants wafted throughout the house.

Insp David Colwell, from Leigh police station, said: "We take the cultivation of cannabis plants seriously.

"Good information from the public has allowed us to take positive action against such drug production houses.

"Such places cause a danger because of the actual electricity they use. The wiring can be fraught with danger and can potentially cause a fire."

Police called in an electrical engineer to make sure the house was safe.

Sgt Dan Barnes, who led the raid, said: "This is exactly what neighbourhood policing is all about. We received intelligence from the public and, through good police work, acted upon it."

Pat Brooks, a resident of Fleetwood Avenue, was stunned to see ten police officers raid the home.

She said: "I was in the kitchen. I saw a police car then all these policeman.

"They tried to get in the front door and then some went down the side. They were very quiet and did not shout."

Mrs Brooks added: "They were very quiet people who lived there. They kept themselves to themselves.

They never opened the blinds and never opened the windows, but they seemed very nice people."

* Police have arrested a 17-year-old man, from Westcliff, on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and extracting electricity illegally.