Police on the scent

A policeman’s keen sense of smell led to the discovery in an empty Bingham shop of a suspected cannabis crop with an estimated potential street value of £35,000.

Bingham’s beat manager, Pc John Kneale, and Police Community Support Officer Richard Bombroffe were carrying out a routine patrol on Fairfield Street when they smelt a distinctive aroma.

It led them to the former Pine Cottage, which has been empty for some years.

The officers became suspicious after speaking to men at the back of the property on Thursday afternoon.

The police entered the former shop, where they found what they suspected to be a couple of cannabis leaves on the floor.

Police say they seized around 80 mature plants from the property and from a van parked outside.

They said a further 30 seedlings were seized from the property.

The plants have been sent away for forensic analysis.

Pc Kneale said: “We were parked in the White Lion carpark and caught a whiff of what I thought was cannabis.”

Pc Kneale said Scottish and Newcastle, which owns the shop, had no idea what the property was being used for and was helping the police with their inquiries.

A police spokesman said: “Three Nottingham men, aged 26, 34 and 39, were arrested on suspicion of production and possession with intent to supply. They have been released on bail pending further inquiries.”