WE WON'T GRASS ON POT CALLER, SAY BEEB

THE BBC are refusing to grass on a cannabis grower who called a radio
phone-in for advice on growing his crop.

Two police forces are investigating the incident, which happened on a
live edition of the Beech grove Potting Shed on Radio Scotland.

But the BBC say they will not reveal the caller's number.

A spokesman last night said: "We cannot and would not give the police
the number because we would be breaching our own editorial guidelines.

"The data protection act precludes us from passing it
on.

"The police have not made any contact with us yet but even if they do
ask, we can't give them it."

The caller asked Beech grove presenters Jim McColl and Frieda Morrison
how to use a propagator, a kind of mini indoor greenhouse.

When asked what he was growing, he said: "It's a hybrid of cannabis
called Northern Lights."

The presenters thens pent more than three minutes on an
answer.

Frieda yesterday apologised for the blunder and joked: "You know, we
are a very happening programme and want to be at the cutting edge of
any grass."

She added: "We thought the caller had said cabbages and if you look
it up, there is a variety called the Northern Lights.

"This is where the confusion started and all the way through, we were
talking about cabbages.

"It is a very busy programme and we made an honest
mistake."

A BBC Scotland spokesman said: "It is clear they were not giving
advice on to how to grow cannabis but how to use a propagator.

"They did not know what the caller was really talking
about."

Strathclyde Police are investigating as the show was broadcast from
Glasgow and the Tayside force are involved because the caller
introduced himself as Joe McLaughlin from Perth.

A Strathclyde spokeswoman said enquiries are ongoing.

A spokesman for Tayside Police added: "We have not received a
complaint but intend to contact the BBC for further information."