THERE have been complaints about a bad smell in the air in Worcester city centre.
Counciller Jabba Riaz has been among those who has complained about a stench in the air for the last few days.
People have said the smell was in various locations including Sidbury and around Worcester Cathedral.
Cllr Riaz said: “Anyone else in and around the city notice a very pungent stink - any knowledge of where it came from and if it was worse than you normally experience?"
Cllr Riaz added that he wondered if it was linked to roadworks.
A city resident has also tweeted: “Any idea about the odour present in central Worcester.
“Stinks like a million sheep have been culled, processed?
“It’s disgusting, can’t open my windows. We are ingesting whatever is in our air – we have a right to know what it is.”
But reporters visited the areas on Thursday afternoon and couldn't smell anything.
We also asked people in the area, including staff at the Commandery and Days Newsagents, about the smell but they told us they hadn’t smelt anything in recent days near the Sidbury/Commandery Road and London Road junction.
There has been speculation it could have been manure spread on the field and carried in the wind, so with a change in wind direction it was no longer being smelt.
Rachel Coopey tweeted: “It smells of manure – I thought it smelled like muck spreading but I couldn’t think of where was close enough for that.”
Kerry Whitehouse said: “I smelt it in Foregate Street.”
Jon Bodenham added: “Definitely muck spreading, very rural, I used to live near a digester (of farm excrement) and it smelt just like that.
"Shouldn’t be spread so close to urban environment.”
Smells can be investigated by Worcestershire Regulatory Services
Like noise, complaints about smells can be reported to Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS), but for it to be investigated it would need to be a persistent smell.
If a source is traced action can be taken against a person responsible and, if necessary, an abatement notice can be served to ensure the nuisance is stopped and does not re-occur.
Anyone suffering from a smell can contact WRS on 01905 822 799.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel