POLICE investigating a house fire on a Southampton street last night found a 'cannabis factory' at the property spanning 'a number of rooms.'

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) were called to the property on Winchester Road at 6.25pm on Friday, with neighbours reporting smoke "billowing" from the upstairs windows. 

The scene was then handed over to officers from Hampshire Constabulary who have confirmed that there were no casualties and no-one needed to be rescued from the building.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: "At this stage there is nothing to indicate it was started deliberately. However a cannabis factory was discovered at the house and we are investigating this."

The spokesperson confirmed that "a number of rooms [at the property] were being used to cultivate cannabis" but no detail was given about the number of plants.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, with HFRS originally believing it to have been caused by a fuse box.

Anyone with information about the fire or the growing of cannabis at the property is advised to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 44210025901.