A cannabis farm was uncovered during a huge house fire – with an innocent neighbour arrested for running it.

Fire crews were first called to the blaze at a house in Bicknor Road in Park Wood, Maidstone, at 3.40am and spent more than six hours at the scene.

The fire rages Video: Claire Mercer

Kent Police later tweeted about the incident and said: "@kentfirerescue were called to a house fire by a neighbour in the early hours of this morning.

"On entering, firefighters have discovered a cannabis cultivation.

"Scene handed over to @kent_police and @kentpolice_CSI to investigate."

Jason Slender, his partner Claire and their three-year-old daughter Isla-Rose had to leave their home next door while crews tackled the flames.

Mr Slender says he was also wrongly arrested for the ordeal and spent 45 minutes in the back of a police van while investigations continued.

The 49-year-old said: "Our neighbour was working on a night shift and he could smell it when he arrived home and alerted the lot of us.

"Before we knew it we were congregated in the car park and it was just engulfed.

"It was very scary especially as my partner is 30 weeks pregnant and we have a three-year-old and if it wasn't for the neighbour screaming for us to get out, it could have been so different.

"They arrested me on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and handcuffed me.

"I was standing there in a West Ham onesie in handcuffs and I wasn't even allowed to see my partner or my daughter."

'I was standing there in a West Ham onesie in handcuffs...'

Partner Claire Mercer, 40, said: "I quickly woke everyone up and got the baby out of bed and rushed out and by the time we got out there, there were bright orange flames bursting out the roof.

"In this little cul-de-sac everyone helps each other and last night really proved that.

"People brought blankets, chairs and cups of tea for us while we were evacuated.

"Because someone tall with dark hair was seen coming out, they thought it was Jason and arrested him.

"It was very distressing for me and Isla to see that while all this was going on.

"They did apologise in the end."

It is not clear how much of the Class B drug was found.

Crews in four fire engines were sent to tackle the flames.

Firefighters used breathing apparatus to enter property and left the scene around 10am.

A Kent Fire spokesman said: "An investigation into the cause was carried out at the scene, before leaving duty of care with Kent Police."

A police spokesman said: "Nobody was injured during the incident and investigations are continuing into the cause of the fire."

A "quantity" of suspected cannabis plants and "horticultural equipment" were seized from the house.

Additional reporting by Tom Reeves

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