British Olympic boxer Bradley Saunders has been questioned by police on suspicion of dealing cocaine, it emerged today.

Saunders, 22, who was a big medal hope at the Beijing Games, was held after a police sniffer dog found what was believed to be £12,000 of the drug in his back garden. A warrant was executed at his semi-detached home in Cragside, Sedgefield, County Durham, at 1pm yesterday.

The boxer was taken away for questioning with his girlfriend Stephanie Elliott, also 22, and although couple were held overnight at Spennymoor Police Station they have since been released without charge with Sanders denying any involvement in drugs.

"It was about midday; I'd been out for a morning run and had gone back to bed to watch TV with my girlfriend, Stephanie," Sanders said. "All of a sudden the police were at the door. There was about seven of them, at least, and a dog. They said they had a warrant.

"I asked them what did they want and told them to wait so that I could ring my mam, because I wanted a witness, but before I could they all burst in. I shouted to Stephanie to go with some of them while I kept an eye on the others.

"They'd finished going through my house and they were on their way out when they went through to the back garden. I'm having the house done up and the back garden is being stripped, so there is nothing out there but dirt and grass.

"Right next to the back gate was a sheet of white plastic, like a bin bag, and when they lifted it up underneath was a kind of metal biscuit tin just laid on the grass. They opened it up said 'What's this powder?'

"We were handcuffed and arrested and taken to Spennymoor police station, where we were each locked up and left in a cell for six hours. Stephanie was locked up in the cell next to me.

"I saw the duty solicitor and had to make a statement but there was not a lot I could say. Then I was released without charge and have been released on police bail until next year. They told me they'd had an anonymous telephone call tip-off.

"There was never anything in that garden. I know nothing about any drugs. I have never had a criminal record, I've never been done for drugs. My parents are devastated. My mum is very upset.

"I earn a decent living and have been getting paid since I was 13 years old for boxing. There is no reason for me to be involved in drugs. We're a well-known family in Sedgefield but since my face has become better known I think I've become more of a target.

"Since the Olympics I've been the victim of quite a lot of crime. My house was burgled recently as my girlfriend and I slept - they let themselves into the house through the back and took her car keys.

"People get jealous. They can take against you."

Saunders was tipped to bring back a gold medal from the summer games and was criticised after he said he was relieved to be going home to his young family after a shock defeat in his second fight.

After his Olympics exit, Saunders said: "I've been training for two years now - to know I've not won a medal has taken a big weight off my shoulders.

"The weight of everything: my job, training, boxing all the time, not seeing my little boy. I want to live a local boy's life now.

"People working abroad will tell you themselves. What have I done it for? I've never done it for myself. I've done it for my family, my house, to pay my bills. Now I can get a little time off. It's not my time this time. The weight's off my shoulders, I can relax. I'm very disappointed. It's my job, it remains my job, but I'm looking forward to getting back to my family."