TWO people were last night being questioned by police after £3,000 worth of cannabis was seized from a house.

A woman in her 40s and a 17-year-old male were taken to Bishop Auckland police station, after police raided the house, on Hall Lane Estate, in Willington, County Durham, yesterday morning.

Officers found three large plants, two of which were being dried and a third which was stored in a cupboard, a police spokesman said.

Together, the three large plants had a potential yield of £3,000, said a police spokesman.

"Eight officers raided the council house at about 8.30am, following information from local residents," said the spokesman.

"They found the plants in a bedroom, and also recovered a range of equipment used in the cultivation of cannabis."

Acting Sergeant David Parker said last night: "We arrested a woman in her 40s and a 17-year-old male on suspicion of being involved in the cultivation of cannabis. They are still being held for questioning."

The raid was supported by a search warrant. The police had until 8.30am today to charge the two people or release them.

The Government downgraded cannabis to a class C drug in January 2004. However, possession of the drug is still a crime, and carries a maximum punishment of two years in prison. Supplying cannabis to others can bring a 14-year prison term.

According to the Office of National Statistics, about a third of young men and 21 per cent of young women claim to have used the drug.