A cannabis farm with an estimated street value of £2.5m has been discovered at a former newspaper print works.

The crop was found at the former Newport and Market Drayton Advertiser print works in Bellmans Yard, Newport, Shropshire.

Police attended the building after receiving a report of a possible break in at the abandoned industrial unit last Friday.

Around 2,800 mature cannabis plants were discovered, with evidence that some had already been cropped.

There was also evidence that people may have been living in the building althougyh it was empty at the time and no arrests were made.

Chief inspector Richard Bailey of Mercia Police said: “Cannabis farms like to this are often linked to serious and organised crime gangs, the drugs they sell have a negative impact on our communities and can lead to other localised criminality.

“The cultivation of these crops can also lead to the harm and exploitation of vulnerable people.

“Shutting down this grow today shows we will not tolerate criminal activity within our communities.”