A man and a woman yesterday admitted conspiring to grow illegal drugs after a massive cannabis farm was found at a luxury house owned by former Newcastle United player Steve Watson.

Andrew Deacon and Julie French were arrested on December 8 last year when police raided the detached property in Runnymede Road on the exclusive Darras Hall estate in Ponteland.

Dozens of cannabis plants were removed from the house during the dawn search as well as barrels of hydroponic plant feed fluid, heat lamps, hedge shears, portable radiators, rolls of tin foil and electric fans.

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