Police are now investigating a burglary after four men were seen taking cannabis plants out of a house opposite a school.

Hampshire Police has confirmed that officers discovered around 100 cannabis plants left in the property, at a home in Waterloo Road, Freemantle, after being called to reports of four men breaking in.

After speaking to eyewitnesses, the Echo was told that four men were seen making off with a number of “huge clear bags filled with marijuana plants” at around 4am on Monday, March 18.

The home, which is opposite Freemantle C of E School, is now under a police investigation and investigators are looking to establish exactly what took place in the early hours of Monday morning.

A spokesperson for the police said: “We were called just after 4am on March 18, to a report of a burglary at an address in Waterloo Road. Four men were seen entering the property.

“When officers arrived, the front window had been smashed and door damaged.

“Upon entering, we located around 100 cannabis in the downstairs rooms.

“We have removed the plants that were at the address and our investigation is ongoing.”

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An eyewitness to the events of Monday said that since the break-in, there is a strong smell of cannabis around the area of Waterloo Road.

One resident of the area said: “It was around 4 o’clock in the morning on Monday and me and my wife heard banging near to the back garden."

The resident’s home is one of many that backs onto the property that was raided.

He said that he saw a dark Volkswagen estate outside of the property and four men running in and out with "huge" clear bags of cannabis plants and putting them in the car.

"That is when I decided to call the police because I didn’t know if anyone had been hurt inside.

"It’s right opposite a school and all you can smell is cannabis."