A BEAT bobby uncovered two suspected cannabis farms in neighbouring properties after making routine calls on his patch.

PC Damien Pemberton, a Colne community beat manager, called at one house on Monday, after complaints and allegations of drug dealing from neighbours.

When the door was opened, he suspected a strong smell of the drug, and when a search team was called in around 20 plants were found, along with hydroponic growing equipment, in two upstairs rooms.

Just half an hour later, officers called at a neighbouring house and around 10 further plants were found, along with drug paraphernalia and substances now being tested to see if they are class-A drugs.

DC Pemberton said: "I went to the address to pay what we call a "disruption visit", designed to warn people that we are on to them if there have been complaints, and hopefully make them change their ways.

"That's usually the first cog in the machine before we look at executing warrants and things and with this I've struck lucky and got a couple of good results.

"Being the local area bobby it's my job to do these visits, and it's come up trumps this time."

Sergeant John Fryer, of Colne police, said officers would be cracking down on drugs across the area with Operation Fletcher, targeting suspected dealers.

He said: "We have been getting a lot of very useful calls to Crimestoppers and to the police station and we are now collecting that data.

"We will be executing a number of drugs warrants over the next few weeks."

Two men were arrested on suspicion of possession, possession with intent to supply, and being concerned with the production of, cannabis.

One of the men was also arrested on suspicion of possessing class A and class B drugs.