People living in a village near York say they are having to keep their windows closed at home due to a mystery stench that has plagued them for weeks.
It is unclear what is causing the stink in Bishopthorpe, but a number of residents have suggested it could be farming activity or a nearby sewage treatment works.
“It’s a real strong, horrid smell that you can’t escape,” said Sarah Lewis. Fellow villager Jude Hanson added: “It smells like sewage, like sticking your head in a toilet.”
Yorkshire Water said it could not confirm if its sewage plant at neighbouring Naburn was the source of the odour, but it was temporarily changing some of its operations “as a precautionary measure”.
The village is surrounded by agricultural land and is also near Yorkshire Water’s Naburn Wastewater Treatment Works and Sludge Conditioning Site.
Several residents said they thought the stench had got worse during the recent period of hot weather and had complained to both the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water.
“My little one’s bedroom was 28 degrees the other night and I just couldn’t cool it down with fans and you can’t have the windows open because the smell comes in and it’s rancid and makes you feel sick,” said 37-year-old Mrs Lewis.
“I’d say the last three years it’s been particularly bad and it’s been getting worse and worse and this year it’s been the worst it’s been.”
Bridget Lowe, 70, who has lived in the village for 10 years, added: “There were a couple of evenings when it was really hot when the smell was all through the house and it was nauseating.”
Ms Hanson, 56, who lives close to the river, said: “There’s an overwhelming smell to the extent that we’ve actually put candles in the house to try and get rid of it.
“At the weekend my daughter was visiting and she was going ‘this is horrible, I’ve got friends coming, I’m so embarrassed and it smells disgusting'”.
The Environment Agency urged anyone who “notices any unusual smells or odours that concern them” to report them.
“Our team takes these reports seriously and will investigate to ensure compliance with environmental regulations,” a spokesperson said.
