Cannabis growers 'used black bears as guards'

Police in Canada have arrested two people after raiding a cannabis farm guarded by black bears.

More than ten bears appeared to surround a house, near Christina Lake, British Columbia, where more than 1,000 cannabis plants were growing nearby.

Officers received a tip about the area and issued a search warrant. They arrived armed with a shotgun, but quickly realised that the bears were tame.

Some officers even posed for photographs with the bears, who had been fed a diet of dog food and vegetables.

"Once the word's out in that community that there are a lot of bears around your set up and I don't think anybody else would want to come near them," Sergeant Fred Mansveld said.

But some locals said they had another theory about the docile bears - that a "bear lady" had been taking care of them.

"The story was they come in and sit on her couch and watch television with her, but she definitely feeds the bears and treats them as pets in her area." Brian Taylor, Mayor of Grand Forks, said.

The two people arrested face drug related charges and will appear in court in a few weeks.