COMMUNITY police stumbled upon a £1 million cannabis factory inside an old Port Glasgow bingo hall.

The drugs haul - understood to be one of the biggest ever in Inverclyde - was discovered by officers on patrol yesterday afternoon.

They smelt the cannabis as they passed the former Plaza/Gala Bingo Hall in Brown Street at around noon, sparking a major alert.

Eye witnesses told the Telegraph that a number of cars were quickly on the scene as police secured the building.

Such was the size of the cannabis farm discovery, officers were unable to say last night exactly how many plants were inside.

Chief Inspector Paul Cameron hailed the swoop as a major victory in the war on drugs in Inverclyde.

He said: "We found a cannabis cultivation inside the building. It is a recovery with an estimated value of up to £1million.

"It's a cracking drugs capture for us, a substantial haul.

"This backs up our commitment to the public that we are tackling drug dealing in the Inverclyde area.

"I did say when I took up this post that if people are prepared to sell drugs in this area, then then need to be prepared to be caught.

"This is an excellent example of our on-going commitment to dismantling the trade here in Inverclyde. We made a commitment to tackle it and remain fully committed to bringing those responsible to justice ".

CI Cameron said beat officers caught the aroma of the cannabis and acted quickly.

He told the Telegraph: "This is down to good honest community policing.

"The officers were on patrol when they came across it, smelled the cannabis, reported it and we dealt with it."

Firefighters were drafted in to help police break into the building.

Inside they found hundreds of plants and CI Cameron says the stash is so huge that it will take days to clear the premises.

Local councillor Drew McKenzie heard about the raid in his butcher's shop.

He said: "The boys in the shop were talking about it, I don't know if it was a fireman or police officer, but they came in and said it was one of biggest cannabis factories ever in Inverclyde.

"I drove past and there were police cars all of the place.

"We've already had a cannabis farm in Port Glasgow Industrial Estate but to have this right in the town centre - it's brazen.

"It's the talk of the town."

Two men have been arrested under the misuse of drugs act and are expected to appear at Greenock Sheriff Court on Monday.

It is the latest in a string of drug recoveries in Port Glasgow. Last October hundreds of cannabis plants worth £130,000 were found after police swooped on a flat in Port Glasgow.

Officers pounced on a property in the town's Highholm Street following a tip-off.