Man bitten while making 'citizen's arrest' over cannabis farm

This was the cannabis farm found by a member of the public who tried to catch the suspect but was bitten in the process.

Officers arrived at the home on Lydia Walk in Fazakerley and found a drug-growing operation featuring 15 plants.

Earlier, at around midday on Tuesday, a member of the public discovered the Class B factory and reported it to police.

It was initially said the suspect had been detained but a struggle broke out and the victim was bitten during the melee.

Police turned up and arrested a 25-year-old man, from Fazakerley, on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis.

He was quizzed and released under investigation.

Cannabis plants found at a drugs farm at a home on Lydia Walk in Fazakerley (merpol)

The cannabis plants were recovered by the force’s Cannabis Dismantling Team and enquiries are ongoing.

At the start of May, police told how as many as 3,000 plants have been found in the previous six weeks alone, double the figure over the same period last year.

Chief Inspector Phil Mullally, of Merseyside Police, said: "The cannabis found in this house won’t now line the pockets of criminals, or cause any harm in our communities.

“The criminals behind cannabis farms do not care about the damage they do to the community, the violence their illicit trade can attract or the fire and flooding risk they can pose to neighbouring properties.

"They care only about making money from the misery of others.

“The streets of Fazakerley are safer now that these drugs have been taken out of circulation, and I want to take this opportunity to ask that the public keep reporting any suspicious smells, sights or visitors at properties. If you report it, we will take action."

Police have reminded the public of the tell-tale signs cannabis is bring grown secretly which include strange smells and sounds, frequent visits to a property, often at unusual times, gardening equipment being taken inside, windows sealed and curtains permanently closed and birds gathering on a roof in cold weather.

If you have any information about suspected drug production in your area, please contact @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.