EXCLUSIVE
by Suzy Shanley

A suspected cannabis factory operating in a modest town centre flat was only discovered after it caused a power failure in neighbouring shops.

Equipment used to grow more than 1,000 plants was taking so much electricity it melted a fuse box shared with two stores on the ground floor.

Shop owners in Gravesend couldn’t work out why their lights kept failing and reported the fault to electricity supplier EDF.

When EDF engineers inspected the panel in Wrotham Road they discovered the first floor property was using almost double the amount of power of East West Food & Wine and Amrit Jewellers combined.

Alarm bells rang and the police were called in last Friday at around 4pm.

Resident Helen Hinks, 48, of Wrotham Road, said: “I never saw anyone coming or going from the flat, it was strange.”

Police were unable to confirm if any arrests had been made.

For the full story see today's Gravesend Messenger.