A failed entrepreneur set up a cannabis factory at his West Sussex cottage home after losing his savings in a business deal.

Father-of-four Adrian Smith, 38, of Westergate Street, Westergate, near Chichester, claimed he had been growing the plants as an experiment.

Smith broke down in tears at Worthing Magistrates' Court yesterday after admitting cultivating cannabis.

Police officers executed a search warrant at his home at 11.20am on Wednesday. They found cannabis seeds in the dining room and plants in the garden.

Officers also found plants organised in rows on the garage floor under special lighting.

Peter Lytle, prosecuting, said: "In their opinion the set-up has all the appearance of a commercial growing system."

When Smith was interviewed by police, he told them the cannabis was for his own use only.

The court heard Smith, a diabetic who suffers from depression, was separated from his wife but still had contact with his children.

Soheila Richardson, defending, said: "This was a one-off experiment and he has never done anything like it before. He has never sold any cannabis."

Chairman of the bench Lilian Holdsworth adjourned sentencing until June 26 for a scientists' report on the value of the plants. Smith was granted conditional bail.