The death of a man at an Osterley drugs factory could have been prevented, a neighbour claimed today.

A man believed to be in his mid-20s was found hanged last Friday evening at a house in Spring Grove Crescent, on the borders of Hounslow and Osterley. Police also found a 'large quantity' of cannabis plants growing at the semi-detached house.

A neighbour today told getwestlondon she had had suspicions about the property for months, which she had reported to the letting agent and to police.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said the property had changed hands around Christmas last year and she found it strange that there was never a vehicle in the driveway but a van would regularly pull up outside, often several times a day and late at night.

She said she had twice alerted the letting agent but was told the occupants were on holiday. She also claims she told the police and although officers did visit they were unable to gain entry and did not make a follow-up inspection.

"It was clear nobody was living there and it's so sad this has happened. Maybe if the property had been inspected sooner the man's death could have been prevented," she said,

She added that she regularly saw two men leaving and entering the house: a large man who appeared to be in his 30s and a younger man, probably in his 20s, who was taller and thinner.

Another neighbour said he had seen three men using the property: one in his 50s, another aged about 60 and a third in his mid-to-late 20s. He said he had only spoken to the first man, who had told him he was a builder from Lithuania.

A post-mortem yesterday gave the man's cause of death as hanging. A police spokeswoman said this afternoon the death was still being treated as unexplained. She added that an inquest would be opened and adjourned 'in due course'.