Families in a leafy suburb woke to find police raiding a suspected cannabis factory in their neighbours' attic.

They watched as a stream of officers carried dozens of evidence bags from the two-storey house in Southdown Avenue, near Preston Park, Brighton.

Officers entered the terraced house shortly after 8.30am yesterday after rousing the two occupants.

They found a "highly sophisticated" growing operation involving 24 plants, most about 5ft tall, surrounded by electric lights, ventilators, dozens of black buckets and a blue water butt.

Police believe cannabis worth about £30,000 a year was being produced.

It took more than 20 officers four hours to empty the attic of its contents.

A man and woman, both thought to be in their 30s, were arrested and led out to waiting police cars.

The man kept his head down while the woman walked out with her face hidden under a black cardigan.

Sergeant Rob Leet said: "It's like a jungle up there.

"It is the most sophisticated operation I have ever seen.

"It is very professional, almost like a farmer cultivating his crops."

The raid caused a stir in the quiet residential area, with neighbours peering into the house.

Others had a look as they took their children to school or headed off to work.

Many said they were amazed by the raid.

Neighbour Elizabeth Stacey, 80, said: "I did think something might be going on.

"In the summer they would go into their back garden and there would often be a funny smell.

"There used to be a lot of hippy types coming and going. I've lived here since 1974. This used to be a respectable street."

Another neighbour said: "A lot of times people have rung my doorbell at night and when they saw me they quickly said they had the wrong house.

"I think it's because the tree in front of our house looks like a smaller version of their tree and people got the addresses mixed up."

Others living nearby said there had been a lot of activity around the house.

Jenny Taylor, of Southdown Avenue, said: "I'm just amazed no one knew about it.

"It would be different if it was hard drugs but what people do in their own time is up to them."