Officers seize 1,000 cannabis plants with a street value of half a million pounds in Wigan

The weighty haul, of 1,024 plants with a value of up to £500,000, was discovered in a unit on Kilshaw Street, Pemberton.

Police said they found two large rooms full of the plants - as well as living quarters, with beds and a kitchen.

They said men inside managed to escape around one side of the building as officers were making their way around another.

Officers also joked that the "gardeners" involved in the incident could collect their plants from Wigan police station any time they liked.

A spokesman for GMP Wigan West said: "On Thursday 22nd April local officers found a huge cannabis farm on Kilshaw Street, in one of the industrial units.

"As officers were around one side of the building, the males inside managed to escape out of the other. Inside the unit there were two large rooms containing a total of 1024 plants. The potential street value of this crop was in the region of £400,000 - £500,000.

"Also contained within the unit were living quarters with beds, kitchen, showering facilities and a large quantity of food and water. If any of the male gardeners involved in this incident would like to collect any of their belongings then pop down to Wigan Police Station to speak to an officer."