FOUR men have been arrested in North Yorkshire after a disused car showroom was found to be a cannabis factory.

North Yorkshire Police said an officer became suspicious about the S&R Motors site in Harrogate Road, Ferrensby, near Knaresborough, on Tuesday, and went to investigate.

He found more than 100 plants, along with equipment used in the production of cannabis, and arrested a 36-year-old man from Leeds at the scene on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis.

Two other men, aged 24 and 30, were arrested in Plompton, south of Harrogate, a short time later. All three have since been released on police bail.

A fourth man was arrested in connection with the incident in Harrogate today, and remains in police custody for questioning.

Detective Inspector Phil Coward, of Harrogate Serious Crime Team, said: "Drugs cause untold harm in our communities and by discovering operations like this it prevents more illegal substances from getting onto the streets. The fight against drugs is a difficult and ongoing campaign but one which we can make progress on with the help of the public.

"Community intelligence has proved to be very useful to us in the past as local residents know what is going on where they live and I would like to appeal to people to continue providing us with information about drugs in their area."

Anyone with information about drugs in the community should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.