ABOUT 130 cannabis plants that would have produced thousands of pounds worth of the drug were recovered next to a building that had been gutted by a fire.

The blaze at Shams (UK) Ltd on Churchfields Business Park, off Clensmore Street, Kidderminster, is believed to have started when a large number of wooden pallets had been set alight and then spread to the building.

While firefighters were dealing with the blaze in the early hours of yesterday morning police carried out a raid on an adjacent building, which is where the cannabis plants were found in a large industrial brick building. The fire had not affected this building.

The fire and the discovery of the cannabis plants are not being linked.

Det Sgt Tim Bower, of Kidderminster police, said: "A large quantity of cannabis plants and growing equipment were recovered. These were undamaged by the fire but are being examined and valued.

"A man and a woman from the Tenbury Wells area and a man from Kidderminster have been arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis.

"It was quite a complex drugs operation."

The huge fire was finally brought under control almost four hours after it started at about 2.30am yesterday.

About 60 firefighters from stations including Kidderminster, Bewdley, Bromsgrove, Worcester and Stourport attended the blaze.

However, fire crews remained at the site all day yesterday to dampen down the area. At least one crew remained overnight to ensure that the pallets and jute, which was inside the building, did not re-ignite. Alec Mackie, spokesman for Hereford And Worcester Fire And Rescue Service, said the fire was being treated as suspicious.

The heat of the blaze was so intense that firefighters had to stand some distance away when tackling it.

Mr Mackie added: "The fire could be seen from a far distance away. The flames leapt high into the night sky."