A HUGE cannabis farm was uncovered after police raided a landmark Burnley pub today.

Around 100 officers took part in the operation, which recovered more than 1,000 cannabis plants with a street value of up to £80,000 from the Duke of York, in Colne Road.

Police seized a further £70,000 worth of cannabis in raids on a flat in Colne Road and a house in Hibson Road, Nelson.

Officers said that the raids, which were part of Pennine Police’s Operation Fugo, were sending a stark warning to criminals that they had no hiding place from police.

The mid-morning warrant at the Duke of York, which started when riot vans and police dog handlers arrived at the pub while nearby residents and shopkeepers gathered, also saw two men, aged 23 and 34, arrested.

A 46-year-old man was arrested after cannabis worth around £30,000 was seized from the flat above another shop in Colne Road.

Police discovered a further 500 plants with an estimated value of £40,000 at the property in Hibson Road, Nelson, but no arrests were made.

Afterwards, Det Insp Dean Holden, the man in charge of the operation, said the raids were part of a campaign targeting ‘acquisitive’ criminals, such as burglars and robbers, who steal to fund drug habits.

He added: “The day went well. We are determined to crack down on acquisitive crime and we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to root out those who are responsible and put them before the courts.

“Our message to offenders is clear: it is simply a matter of time before you too will receive a visit from police.”

Yesterday’s raid on the well-known Duke of York pub followed weeks of intelligence gathering involving officers and members of the community in the Duke Bar area.

It meant that police chiefs were well-prepared before ordering the warrant at around 11am, a time when drug dealers are known to be most active.

Many residents and shopkeepers who gathered in the area around the Duke of York said they were unsurprised by the find.

Brian Tomlinson, 52, who lives in nearby Cobden Street, said: “I am not surprised at all because drugs are regularly round here.

“We had seen people going into the pub late at night and we knew something was going on.

“But I think the police should also get out and find some of the dealers too.”

Seridwen Chapman, 61, who lives in Pheasantford Green, said: “People around here were complaining about brown paper going up in the windows.

“We reported that and police were aware of it so we had an idea they would be raiding it.”

Another woman, 62, who lives in Cleaver Street, added: “I am not surprised about this at all because there’s so much going on around here with drugs.

“As soon as the blinds went up and the electric cable, I thought it was suspicious.

“I hope this will be the start of many more raids around here.”

Meanwhile, Coun Arif Khan, who sits on Burnley Council and also owns a newsagent opposite the pub, said: “That building has stood empty for more than a year so this shows anything can happen.

“I am happy with this raid because all this cannabis could have gone to the streets.

"Children’s lives could have been ruined and we don’t want that.”

The Duke of York, which has been closed for around two years, has a famous role in Burnley history.

It originally opened in 1882 and is credited with helping to change the name of the surrounding area from ‘Hebrew Bar’ to ‘Duke Bar’.

However, in June 2001, during three days of rioting in Burnley, the Duke of York was gutted after a firebomb attack.