A mum and son duo from Ellesmere Port have been slapped with sentences after police found the first floor of their home had been turned into a 'well planned and organised' cannabis farm.

Eighty-eight cannabis plants with a street value of more than £70,000 were discovered at Carol and Nicholas Sheppard's house on Straker Avenue during a drugs raid last year.

Their bathroom had been converted into a drying room, while two bedrooms were being used to grow the plants and housed a 'nursery area' and 'mother plant' which produced cannabis cuttings which could be grown to full maturity.

Dozens of cannabis plants were found at the property
Dozens of cannabis plants were found at the property

Det Con Roy Wellings, from Ellesmere Port Local Policing Unit's Pro-active Policing Team, said: "Police executed a Misuse of Drugs Act warrant at their home address on Straker Avenue, Ellesmere Port, on August 5, 2015.

"Officers found the whole of the first floor semi-detached house was converted for the production of cannabis - it was a well-planned and organised cannabis farm."

Nicholas Sheppard has been jailed for three years for cannabis production
Nicholas Sheppard has been jailed for three years for cannabis production

Forty-three-year-old Nicholas Sheppard was locked up for three years for the production of cannabis when he appeared before Chester Crown Court on Tuesday (September 13).

But Carol Sheppard, 61, was spared jail and handed a four-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and a three-month night-time curfew for permitting the production of cannabis.

Cheshire police is urging anyone with any information in relation to drug use and supply in your community to get in touch on 101.

Alternatively, details can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.