POLICE who raided a house yesterday to arrest a man wanted for an assault rumbled a cannabis growing operation.

A man was arrested during the raid at a semi-detached house in Snowdon Avenue, Blackburn, at about 6am.

Lancashire Police officers swooped on the house at the request of their colleagues in Merseyside, who are investigating an assault on a 48-year-old woman in Liverpool.

On arrival, they found 18 cannabis plants, worth about £7,000, in a bedroom and a hydroponics cultivation equipment that included heat lamps, transformers and timers.

Yesterday, police were removing a number of items they believed to be related to the growth of cannabis from the premises.

The man was given an £80 on-the-spot fine before being taken to Blackburn Police Station where he was being held in custody before being transferred to Liver-pool to be questioned by detectives.

Inspector Bilal Mulla, of Blackburn police, said: “Merseyside Police had asked our officers to arrest this individual in conn-ection with an assault in Liverpool.

“And when we arrived, we discovered a considerable amount of cannabis and hydroponics growing equipment.

“It was a very successful operation and the man will now be handed over to the police in Merseyside to be questioned further in relation to a assault.”

A spokesperson for Merseyside Police confirmed they had requested the arrest.

She said: “Lancashire Police have arrested a man on suspicion of assault and in the process they have discovered a cannabis growing operation.

“The incident in Liverpool relates to a domestic assault where a woman received minor injuries, including bruising.”