POLICE raided a traveller site on the edge of Worcester today, uncovering cannabis plants in a shed behind a caravan.

The dawn raid this morning involved warrants at four plots at Smite Residential Caravan Park near West Mercia Police's Hindlip HQ, near Worcester.

Your Worcester News reporter attended the raid with PCs Paul Cound and Tony Carter of Droitwich Safer Neighbourhood Team who called in support from the force tasking team.

Most of the residents of the 16 plot site were still in bed when officers arrived although the barking of dogs brought them out of their caravans to see what was happening.

Officers discovered 15 female plants with a potential cannabis yield of thousands in a shed behind a static caravan, along a muddy path by some kennels. DC Ian Wright, an officer with pro-active team and an expert witness said the plants were around two weeks old but had an average yield of £800 each with each plant producing between 28g and 84g of cannabis. A 62-year-old man from the site was expected to attend a voluntary interview today at Droitwich Police Station on suspicion of cannabis production. He was not arrested. Officers found other evidence of cultivation, including heat lamps, foil insulation and ventilation. Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1985 officers now only arrest people in more serious situations but the suspect can still expect to face criminal prosecution.

PC Tony Carter said: "If he makes himself available for interview, I'm happy to interview him. If, during that interview, he says 'I'm not talking to you, I'm leaving' I can arrest him and put him in a cell until he will talk to me. At the end of the day, it's a positive warrant. Drugs have been found. We can't stop it. We're practical enough to realise you can't stop it but we can certainly disrupt it."

He said what happened to the suspect now depended on a variety of issues, including whether he had previous convictions.

A scenes of crime officer (SOCO) was scheduled to arrive later in the day. It is expected two plants will be taken away as samples and the rest will be destroyed.