Drug dens were raided by police in Oxford last night - in one of the biggest operations of its kind the city has ever seen.

More than 100 officers raided four homes simultaneously in Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys at 6.20pm.

A further three homes were raided at 10.20pm as part of an ongoing operation against drugs.

A large quantity of Class A drugs, believed to be heroin and cocaine, were seized and a number of arrests were made.

The Oxford Mail joined officers on Operation Bonify as they raided a semi-detached house in Green Hill, Greater Leys.

Pc Alex Shepherd, Blackbird Leys Neighbourhood Specialist Officer, said last night: "The scale of this operation shows residents how seriously we are tackling their concerns.

"We carried out a large-scale operation, which was intelligence led, with the intention of finding and disrupting drug activity.

"We are hoping to show those involved in drug-related activity, they are not safe from us."

One man was arrested following the raid on the house in Green Hill, where suspected drugs were found.

All the surfaces were swabbed with a 'drugs itemiser' - used to test for traces of narcotics. A sniffer dog helped in the search.

The other homes raided by police were in Sandy Lane, Falcon Close, Windrush Tower, Field Avenue and two addresses in Ashmole Place.

Pc Leigh Thompson, drugs coordinator for Oxfordshire, said: "The people round here are sick and tired of drug dealers.

"We are here tonight with hi-visibility police, but we are not going to go away.

"If people are coming to Blackbird Leys and dealing drugs, we don't want them here.

"We will use all our powers to rid the area of these people.

"This is the biggest drugs operation we have done for quite a few years."

The drugs raids were carried out after consultation with local people through police Neighbourhood Action Groups.

Residents had told officers that the need to tackle drugs should be their top priority.

A 29-year-old woman, from Green Hill, who asked not to be named, said: "I really don't like drugs and especially not on my doorstep.

"I've seen lots of people coming and going from that house - every Tom, Dick and Harry - it made me wonder what was going on."

Another female neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "I always thought there was a nice family living there. I had no idea what was going on and I am completely in shock."

Police were unable to confirm how many arrests were made, or the quantity of drugs they seized last night.

And they said extra police officers and Police Community Support Officers will be on the Leys estates today to reassure residents.