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DRUG RAID ON TIFF'S STEPDAD

EXCLUSIVE Martine's shock at cannabis bust

By Jeremy Armstrong 09/09/2007

The parents of TV star Martine McCutcheon have been arrested in a drugs raid on their home in France.

Gendarmes swooped on the property in the tiny hamlet of Augignac in the Dordogne region after a helicopter patrol spotted a forest of cannabis plants.

Martine's mum Jenny Tomlin, 51, and her stepdad Alan, 40, were taken into custody after police allegedly removed 1,300 cannabis plants from their grounds.

Martine's stepbrother Lawrence John, 16, was also at the remote farmhouse when it was raided last month.

According to her agent, Martine, 31, who played Tiffany Mitchell in East-Enders, was on location and unable to travel to France. Her mother was released from custody without charge and is back at the house after helping police with their enquiries. Alan was charged with growing cannabis and bailed to appear in court next month. A source said: "There were a number of officers who surrounded the property."

Jenny and Alan married in Barbados in 2000 and moved to the Dordogne. Martine's agent Sue Latimer refused to comment because she was unable to contact Martine where she was filming.

A French police spokesman said: "The British owner of the property, a man in his 40s, was arrested and interviewed and charged with growing cannabis."

MARTINE McCutcheon feared for her life when a huge hoodie leapt into her 4X4 to rob her.

The thug jumped in the car and grabbed the ex-EastEnder after she stopped to go into a shop. He ran off with her handbag.

A friend said yesterday: "She was driving down the King's Road and stopped at a chemist. She got out and noticed a huge bloke wearing a hoodie and looking suspicious. When she went to get back into her car, he was still hanging around.

"She decided to to lock her doors immediately. But as soon as she got in, he jumped in the passenger side. He grabbed her leg and for a moment she had no idea what he was going to do.

"Martine screamed and just said: 'Please, no'. She was completely frozen in her seat with his hand firmly gripping her thigh. That moment seemed to go on forever. His face was covered the whole time. Then he grabbed her bag and jumped out. Two blokes chased him but he got away."

The bag contained a few personal belongings, her make-up and a TV script. The robber was white and over 6ft.

Martine's agent Jaine Brent said the Love Actually star, 30, reported the theft to police. The Met said there had been no arrests but inquiries continued.