POLICE have dealt with two cannabis farms in Hartlepool this week.

Hartlepool Neighbourhood Officers located a large cannabis farm at an address in Thornton Street in Hartlepool on Friday.

The farm, which contained over 150 plants in various stages of growth, covered all three floors of the property.

While officers worked to dismantle the farm, they discovered a further large scale farm located in a adjacent house.

This second address also contained hundreds of cannabis plants at varying stages of development.

The electricity in both houses had been bypassed and the wiring was reportedly "extremely unsafe", and at significant risk of causing a fire.

Sgt Ian Raine of the Hartlepool Neighbourhood Team said: "acting on Community intelligence we will continue to pursue any illegal activity that negatively impacts on our local communities, these farms are set up by organised crime groups and also involve the trafficking of vulnerable people.

"We will continue to pursue any illegal activity that negatively impacts on our local communities."

Sgt Raine also warned that farms such as these are set up by organised crime groups and also involve the trafficking of vulnerable people.

Anyone that sees suspicious activity at an address is urged to contact Cleveland Police on 101 or report it to Crimestoppers.