Children get gardening with cannabis farm compost

Children at St Wilfrid's RCVA Primary School in Blyth receive some of the compost from Blyth Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Police recovered more than 250 cannabis plants from a house in Union Street, Blyth, earlier this month. They also found around 100 bags of compost on the premises.

Officers from Blyth neighbourhood Policing Team saw the compost bags were unopened and officers decided to donate them to local primary schools for the children to learn to cultivate flowers and vegetables and grow something worthwhile.

Blyth Neighbourhood Sergeant Garry Neill said: "We're pleased to give the compost to local schools, so that children will benefit and something positive can grow out of it - from something that would otherwise have been used in committing crime. Instead, nine local primary schools in our community are putting it to good use.

"We will not tolerate any illegal drug use and production in our communities."

During the house search, officers arrested two men aged 33, and 58. They have both been charged with producing a controlled drug - cannabis. The cannabis plants found at the house have all been destroyed.

If anyone has concerns about illegal drug activity where they live, they should contact their local neighbourhood policing team on 101, so they can take action.