Police discover cannabis 'forest' in London

Cannabis planted on vacant land in the London borough of Kingston upon Thames. Photo / Kingston Police

This is the astonishing sight that greeted police officers investigating reports of "a few cannabis plants" in London.

The marijuana crop the size of a football pitch was found in the Grove Ward borough in Kingston upon Thames.

Photos of the crop were posted by officers, who tweeted: "Called to a few cannabis plants. We found a forest!"

Kingston Police called to a few cannabis plants. We found a forest!#CannabisTrees #TheseArentXmasTrees #WeedKiller pic.twitter.com/TfNyFZF9Ft

— Kingston Police | #StayAlert (@MPSKingston) September 25, 2015

The plants, some of which towered over the officers, were found in a residential area, a few streets from a university halls of residence and a sixth-form college.

Police from the Grove Safer Neighbourhood and the Met's Kingston team captioned the pictures with: 'An interesting find. We're going on a bear hunt! #TheseAren'tXmasTrees #saynotodrugs.'

Two sergeants tweeted: "Welcome to the leafy suburbs of Kingston!"

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Officers found more than 150 plants, some over 5ft tall, growing on wasteland. They secured the scene and are making arrangements for the plants to be removed for disposal."

"There have been no arrests at this time and inquires continue."

Police would not put a street value on the plants.

PC Sarah Henderson of the Kingston borough said: "The area these plants were growing on was the size of a football pitch - it looked like a small forest of Christmas trees and was complete with a gazebo."

"Whoever set this up used a really remote spot; the only way to get there was a 20-minute walk through wasteland. But all their time, trouble and gardening skills will go unrewarded, as the whole lot will now be destroyed by police."

- Daily Mail