Police revealed they have so far found 1,500 cannabis plants inside the ‘Downton Abbey’ Fenland mansion they raided yesterday.

Cambs Times: 'Downton Abbey' cannabis factory. Day two of the police operation at the £1milliion Fenland mansion (Photo: Kallum Ryan-Mueller)'Downton Abbey' cannabis factory. Day two of the police operation at the £1milliion Fenland mansion (Photo: Kallum Ryan-Mueller) (Image: Archant)

A team of officers have spent most of today – and will continue tomorrow- clearing the nine bedrooms, six bathroom former vicarage of its drug producing equipment.

Outside of Wendreda House, March, skips have been brought in to clear away much of the equipment seized by Cambridgeshire police from the house.

One neighbour reported how he first reported a smell detected from his garden some weeks ago.

“I spoke to the council and they told me to keep an ‘odour’ log and to write down when I could smell it,” he said. “Initially I thought it was the crematorium (which is half a mile away) but I was assured it was not.”

Cambs Times: 'Downton Abbey' cannabis factory. Day two of the police operation at the £1milliion Fenland mansion (Photo: Kallum Ryan-Mueller)'Downton Abbey' cannabis factory. Day two of the police operation at the £1milliion Fenland mansion (Photo: Kallum Ryan-Mueller) (Image: Archant)

A 33 year old man from Whitstable in Kent and a 30 year old man from Twickenham in West London arrested at the house yesterday have been released on police bail.

Det Insp. David Murphy said that police will still be at the house for another day clearing out the drugs.

“There is probably up 1,500 plants, which is huge amount,” he said.

Earlier he had described the finding so many plants inside the house as a surprise.

He said the house “looks like something you would see in Downton Abbey or the place people take on for Grand Designs, not where you expect to see a highly professional cannabis factory.

“It is on a main road and surrounded by other homes. It was a risky project.”