A HOME Office licence has been granted to allow a firm to begin cultivating cannabis for research and development purposes on the Isle of Wight.

Based in the West Wight, Vecticanna will be one of just a handful of approved locations in the UK allowed to legally cultivate various strains of cannabis.

Those behind the venture say their site will be fenced and secure and light will not be allowed to escape into the night sky, they say.

There is an aspiration for the site to employ up to 60 people.Isle of Wight County Press: Picture courtesy of Vecticanna.Picture courtesy of Vecticanna.

The cultivation of cannabis is allowed under strict conditions for research.

It is also used in the treatment of some long-term medical conditions, including Fibromyalgia.