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A cannabis factory was discovered above a disused restaurant after a dog was electrocuted as it cocked its leg against a shutter.

The Jack Russell was killed instantly by the electric current as it "marked its territory" outside the former eatery where secretly a drugs empire was being masterminded.

The pet's owner, a woman in her thirties, was taken to hospital for treatment after also suffering an electric shock, but she was not badly hurt.

Firefighters sent to the scene in Fairfield, Liverpool, forced their way into the premises with an angle grinder - and then discovered a massive haul of cannabis being harvested.

Around 55 plants were recovered in an upstairs flat, potentially yielding £20,000 if the drugs had been sold on the city streets.

Live wires found dangling from the flat conducted along the metal shutter with yesterday's constant rain, creating a deadly combination.

A nearby shop owner, who wished not to be named, said a number of dogs had suffered electric shocks before the Jack Russell was killed.

He said: "It's horrible that a dog died but it could so easily have been a child.

"There are parents strolling prams down Prescot Road all day long and this shop is right outside a bus stop.

"All it would have taken was for someone to touch the metal."

Enquiries were today ongoing to trace the occupant of the property.

Merseyside police detective inspector Julie Milburn said: "This incident shows the dangers of cannabis farms and highlights the misconception that cannabis and the growth of the drug is harmless."

The building had been unoccupied for some time but a nearby shop owner said he was aware of an "on and off" drugs factory based inside.

He said: "A firefighter told me that the electric current could have spread from bad wiring when they tried to bypass the electricity meter to avoid detection.

"He also said it could have been done on purpose so no-one could break in to steal the drugs."