Man hid in bush before Melksham cannabis farm arrest

A man leapt over a fence and hid in a bush before being arrested after a "substantial" cannabis farm was found in a house Wiltshire.

Officers from Wiltshire Police discovered cannabis in several rooms of a home on Hornchurch Road, Bowerhill in Melksham.

The force was notified by a concerned member of the public at around 1pm on 2 July.

As officers arrived at the home, a man climbed over the fence at the rear of the property in a bid to escape.

But, he was swiftly found in a bush nearby by police dog Frankie.

The man, aged in his 20s, was arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation and remains in custody.

PC Chloe Edwards said: “We have been able to make this discovery and arrest thanks to the member of the public who reported it to us.

"Community intelligence such as this is vital and please rest assured that we will always take reports of illegal drug production seriously.

“Cannabis production is not a victimless crime – it has considerable knock-on effects relating to exploitation, modern slavery and human trafficking.

"The farms are also often run by organised crime gangs who exploit the vulnerable and damage local communities.

“If you have concerns over drugs in your area, please get in touch with us on 101.”