Chickerell and Wyke Regis residents kick up stink over smell

Residents in Chickerell noticed a stench this morning, with some describing it as 'manure' with a 'fishiness to it'.

Chickerell resident Carolyn said: "It smelled like pig manure. There is a fishiness to it.

"It was really strong outside my house. I think because they were spraying the fields yesterday not that I am complaining."

Another Chickerell resident, Sam, said: "I have a cold so I unfortunately can't smell but my husband did say he could. He says it smelled like manure and thought something was wrong with the car, but everyone smells it apparently."

Another resident said: "I had the windows open and the washing out and I thought 'the washing is going to smell of that'. It has got to be the fields."

One resident found the smell difficult to describe, she said: "I don't know what it is, but it is a horrible smell."

The smell was also in the Littlemoor and Radipole areas of Weymouth. 

Claims the smell is linked to a sewage spill has been denied by Wessex Water.

A spokesperson for the firm said: "We’re aware of the odour reports but there has been no ‘sewage spill’ or issues with any Wessex Water assets."

Dorset Echo reporter Cristiano Magaglio visited Chickerell to investigate the smell (Image: Cristiano Magaglio)

Reportedly the smell is coming from farmers putting slurry on their fields, a normal occurrence at this time of year which coincides with unseasonably hot weather. The slurry is usually a mix of cow manure and water and is used as a fertilizer.

For residents of Wyke Regis, today is just the latest in a bad smell saga.

In August Wyke Regis stunk after smells coming from a sewage treatment plant on Walker Crescent left residents feeling unable to open their windows.

One resident took some comfort from another area of Weymouth suffering a' stink'.

They said: "Well it's not just Wyke Regis that smells like poop today."