A MAN claimed he grew a cannabis farm in his home because he didn't want to get dodgy drugs from dealers.

Lee Ryan, 23, told a court he was growing 29 cannabis plants in his bedroom to avoid buying drugs that had been contaminated with fibreglass.

Ryan was arrested after a raid on his home uncovered the haul with a potential street value of UKP29,000.

The recreational drug user told Hartlepool Magistrates' Court he did it for safety reasons after reading a news story warning cannabis smokers that fibreglass was being mixed into cannabis resin.

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