AROUND 50 cannabis plants went up in smoke after an early morning fire in Ruardean.

Unsuspecting fire officers were tackling the blaze in a building in The Square at around 8.40am last Monday (February 28) when they discovered what they recognised as cannabis plants and called in the police.

The fire was put out after 15 minutes and is believed to have been started by an electrical fault.

A 47-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis in connection with the incident.