Police in Calne took away a cannabis plant left on a windowsill of a flat after complaints of drug smells by neighbours.

The plant, measuring two foot high, was recovered from a ground floor flat in Harrier Close, Calne, on Friday.

Officers who forced their way into the property at 10.50am, including two Chippenham response officers and two members of the Calne neighbourhood policing team, noted a strong smell of cannabis there.

As well as the plant on the window sill they found drugs paraphernalia which was also confiscated.

The flat was empty at the time but later the occupant, a male in his mid twenties, returned. He was due to be interviewed over the weekend.

PC Hans Monahan said there had been numerous complaints of the smell of cannabis in the communal hallway of this block of flats.

He said: “The warrant was carried out following information received this morning about cannabis cultivation.

“This police action should address this problem. Placing a cannabis plant on a window sill and in public view from the pavement was foolish.”