North Wales Police are, today (July 24), expected to begin dismantling the huge cannabis factory which had been set up at Plas-yn-Pentre, a former grange of Valle Crucis Abbey just outside the village of Trevor.

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>> Huge cannabis factory discovered in ancient house near Llangollen


The shock discovery was made on Tuesday morning when the house's owner, property developer, John Sumnall, who lives in Staffordshire, asked his business partner, George Batty, to visit the site.

The house had been empty for some time and builders renovating the adjacent barns were forced to move off site recently when bats were found, leaving it supposedly deserted.

However, George was in for a surprise when he found that cannabis-growers had since broken in and set up the massive operation over all three floors of the house.

He said: "It was a real shock when I walked through the gates and saw that the windows had been boarded up and I knew that we hadn't done it.

"We were last at the house about two and a half weeks ago and it was empty then.

"What they have done in that time is unbelievable.

"They somehow managed to reconnect the electric which I have no idea how to do, so they obviously knew what they were doing.

"I've never seen anything like it – they must have just seen that the house was empty and thought they'd take a chance."

George startled two people who were in the house and ran away when he shouted.

Police would like to trace the whereabouts of these people, one man and one woman, both described as being "of oriental appearance."

George and John have not yet been able to assess the full extent of the damage but due to the nature of the listed building, George estimates that it could cost more than £10,000 to fix.

The culprits had boarded up the house's windows and it is thought that more than 600 plants were found by police.

He said: "I know that they have taken a panel out between the kitchen and the stairs and they have made holes in the walls and floors.

"It is a real mess in there and, because it is a Tudor building, any repairs have to be done properly which will be very expensive."

Police are still appealing for information about the cannabis factory and anyone seen acting suspiciously near Plas-yn-Pentre.

Anyone with information should contact North Wales Police on 0845 6071001 (Welsh line), 0845 6071002 (English line) or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

See earlier story

>> Huge cannabis factory discovered in ancient house near Llangollen