A YOUNG Vietnamese man had a rude awakening this morning as town centre police raided a Shrivenham Road home and discovered 300 cannabis plants.

The 20-year-old, who has been arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and stealing electricity, was found asleep in the front room when officers stormed the address at 7.30am this morning.

Broadgreen beat manager PC Luke Atkinson said the bust, the result of a tip-off from the community, had disrupted the trade in the class B drug and was the first in the area for a while.

He said: "The plants were about half-way through their cycle but had they been fully grown they might have been worth up to £140,000.

"This should have a significant effect on the circulation of cannabis in the area. We know it is a stepping stone drug and that it's use is associated with criminality so to keep this amount off the street is good news."

Anyone with any information about illegal drugs should contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.