Dismantled cannabis factory helps bring Newport pond into bloom

Officers donated unopened bags of soil seized from a cultivation to the tenants of Lliswerry Pond leading to an eye-catching explosion of colour.

Bags of soil seized from a cannabis factory in Newport were put to better use by creating an explosion of colour in a picturesque part of the city.

Officers took ownership of the unopened bags while dismantling the cannabis cultivation in a disused factory last year, leading to two arrests.

Gwent Police donated the soil to Lliswerry Pond and, during the winter months, leaseholder Ben Edmunds used it in raised beds and borders around the Aberthaw Road site.

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Joanne Spiteri, from the neighbourhood policing team at Alway, visited the fishery to see the marigolds, busy lizzies and wild flowers flourishing at first-hand.

Sergeant Chris Hopkin said: "PCSO Spiteri and her colleagues work closely with Ben to help keep the area around Lliswerry Pond safe from anti-social behaviour and associated crime.

"Back in November, our officers dismantled a cannabis factory at a disused warehouse in Kelvedon Street and we were delighted to donate the unopened bags of soil to Lliswerry Pond to help with their outdoor floral displays.

“By re-purposing the soil, it has certainly helped to bring some additional colour to the site and puts items that are often thought to be used for criminal purposes to use that benefit our communities.

"Lliswerry Pond is a jewel of the local community that many residents enjoy visiting, particularly when the sun is shining during the summer months.

“I hope that members of the community are enjoying these floral displays too.”

Ben Edmunds and Leanne Bill lease Lliswerry Pond from Newport City Council through their company, Angling Watch UK.

He said: “We pride ourselves in being at the heart of our community, and we’re delighted to have benefited positively from the dismantling of the cannabis factory last year.

“Our floral displays look fantastic – the marigolds, busy lizzies and wild flowers from Keep Wales Tidy are flowering beautifully in the raised beds.

"We have an excellent working relationship with Gwent Police and the neighbourhood policing team at Alway and I want to thank the local community for their continued support."

If you have any information on drug supply in your area, no matter how big or small you think it might be, please get in touch with Gwent Police.

The production, sale and supply of illegal drugs can have far-reaching effects on our communities, and we’ll continue to do all we can to take action and protect vulnerable people from harm.

Anyone with relevant information can contact us via our website, call us on 101, or send us a direct message on our Facebook or X channels, so that we can act.

You can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, with information or visit their website.

Angling Watch UK's Ben Edmunds, from Lliswerry Pond, with Police Community Support Officer Joanne Spiteri