POLICE have raided a cannabis factory in a residential area of Southampton.

Officers have seized around 180 plants believed to be cannabis from a property in Cranbury Avenue.

During an operation on Wednesday morning, they found a box and four bags containing what is suspected to be the harvested drug.

Officers remain at the address in the Bevois ward of the city while the factory is taken apart and the property made safe.

No arrests have been made at this time, however, enquiries are ongoing.

According to residents, engineers from SSE power company dug up tracts of the road as part of the operation.

Furthermore, houses along Cranbury Avenue were left without electricity due to an outage.

A police spokesperson said: "We are investigating following the discovery of a cannabis factory at an address in Cranbury Avenue, Southampton.

"At around 8.25am on Wednesday, March 24 we received a call from SSE reporting a suspected cannabis factory at an address in Cranbury Avenue in Southampton.

"Officers attended and carried out a drugs warrant at the address. Inside they discovered around 180 plants, suspected to be cannabis along with one box and four bags containing harvested cannabis.

"We’re really keen to hear from people who suspect there is cannabis cultivation or drug-related activity going on in their neighbourhood.

"Every call you make to us is logged and helps us build up an intelligence picture about what might be happening in your community."

A spokesperson for SSE said: "On March 24, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) staff discovered suspicious activity at a property in Southampton’s Cranbury Avenue and alerted Hampshire Constabulary. The police enquiry is currently ongoing and SSE is supporting officers in their investigation. Anyone who has details that might assist with this investigation is asked to call 101 and quote 44210109992."