A TOWN councillor has reacted to news that a cannabis factory has been uncovered by police in Winton, urging residents to report anything ‘suspicious’ by calling 101.

As previously reported, a 34-year-old man has been arrested after police found more than 100 cannabis plants in a house in Andover.

Officers attended the house in Old Winton Road on the afternoon of Tuesday, January 4.

Inside, they found around 120 cannabis plants in various rooms, as well as ventilation and lighting equipment.

Officers will remain at the address today (Wednesday ,January 5) to carry out enquiries and dismantle the site.

Richard Rowles, who represents Winton on Andover Town Council, said: “I was shocked to hear about the incident; it’s the first time I have heard of anything like this in Winton.

“I would like to put residents' minds at ease. People may be concerned, but the police have taken action and it shows that they are responding to these problems.”

He continued: “One thing that people should do is, if they notice anything, they should call 101. People might think to not bother the police, but if they phone that line it goes into the computer log. So, for example, if three people in three different places in Winton see something suspicious, the system can tell the police.”

Test Valley Inspector Chris Taylor added: “We take these incidents seriously as quite often the production of cannabis on this scale is linked to organised crime and hidden harm.

“That’s why we want to hear from people who suspect there is cannabis cultivation going on in their neighbourhood. Every call will help us build a better intelligence picture so we can target our resources accordingly."