Former Mansfield nightclub raided as 'cannabis factory' discovered

The Urban Cherry in Church Street had been closed many years ago and remained vacant when officers were tipped off about the illegal activity inside.

Officers entered the premises at 3pm on Friday, December 22 and discovered around 613 plants.

The electricity had been bypassed and deemed extremely dangerous to adjacent properties.

A large upstairs room, measuring around 17 metres in length, was being used to grow the plants.

These plants were small and had not grown to their full potential.

There was also a living area, which looked like it had been recently set up, with a bed frame, a table, chairs, pots and pans, and some shopping.

Inquiries are now being carried out to find out who is responsible for the cannabis factory as no one was present when officers raided the building.

Sergeant Alice Bartle, from Mansfield neighbourhood policing team, said: “Police were alerted to this operation thanks to the local community.

“They had noticed some suspicious activity and made the current owners of the building aware.

“They checked their property and contacted us.

“Initial inquiries seem to suggest that this cannabis factory had only recently been set up.

“The plants had not matured and a living space had not been fully constructed.

“I would just like to thank the local community for providing us with this intelligence.

“Drugs are a massive blight on our communities and I’m glad this one is no longer operational as a result.”