A British fugitive was seen laughing as police arrested him in Cambodia after discovering a cannabis factory in his back garden - and he was only caught because of a disagreement over a cow.

Wayne Brewer, 50, from London, was handcuffed by police on his property outside Phnom Penh after officers were called because he had refused to help neighbouring farmers retrieve a stray cattle.

Brewer had allegedly told the farmers that they could not come onto his property to look for the cow, so the neighbours asked the police to sort out the dispute.

Done running: Wayne Brewer, 50, from London, was arrested at his home in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, after officers found a cannabis factory in his back garden

When police entered Brewer's property they found several kilos of marijuana including 25 plants which were currently being grown in bucket.

Police believe that the 53 empty blue barrels were used previously to grow the marijuana plants before the drug was harvested.

Brewer had fled to Cambodia after police launched a man hunt for him when he dodged a sentencing for assault in North Kensington, London, in 2006.

It is not known if he will be extradited to the UK or if he will be jailed in Cambodia if found guilty.

His arrest this week came after he started a fight with his neighbours.

Caught: Brewer fled to Cambodia after police launched a man hunt for him when he dodged a sentencing for assault in London in 2006

In the weeds: A police officer poses with some of the 25 cannabis plants found in the garden

Don't have a cow, man: Police were called to Brewer's property because he had refused to help neighbouring farmers retrieve a stray cow

When the farmers lost their cow, they were able to follow its tracks to Brewer's property, where the Briton was asked for help to catch the animal.

Taken in: A Met Police mug shot from 2006 when Brewer was arrested for assault

'He refused to help them, sending them away without their cow.

'After Wayne refused to help them retrieve their cow from his illegal marijuana farm, they had no choice but to call the police and ask for their help,' CambodiaExpatsOnline reports.

A Cambodian Police statement said: 'Colonel Chim Sitha, Inspector of Dangkor district station, led the legal co-ordination with Phol Sokrat, head of the prosecution.

'Officers checked the foreigner's house in a plot of land in Prek Brno Village, Cheung Ek Commune. Detectives suspect Mr Wayne Brewer, a 50-year-old British national, to be the owner of the plants.

'The material seized was 25 cannabis plants, 53 empty barrels and one big barrel of cannabis. Police in Dangkor District are now questioning suspects before they are sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for legal action.'

Colonel Lok Chumteav added: 'The suspect has been detained and the cannabis has been seized by officers.'

Met Police released a mug short of Brewer, from Brent, west London, in May 2015 after he was previously convicted of common assault in Kensington in September 2006. He fled before sentencing.