Probe launched into 'smell of death' in Bamber Bridge

People living in Maypark and Mallard’s Walk say they “dread summer coming”, claiming the odours are worsened in the heat and are getting worse year on year.

They suspect that the odours are coming from the nearby Dunbia abattoir in Church Road, Bamber Bridge, but the company insists the site is operating a detailed odour management plan and is fully compliant with regulations.

One Maypark resident, who asked not be named, said: “When you sit in the back garden, it smells of death.

“We think that it’s from the abattoir, because when you drive passed, it smells horrendous. It makes us keep our windows and doors closed, even in this heatwave. It really does affect your life.”

The abattoir is authorised to operate by the Environment Agency (EA) and the EA issues a permit, with conditions, which allows them to operate.

The EA enforce this, and residents have been told by South Ribble and Chorley Councils to direct any complaints to them.

A spokesman for the EA said: “The Environment Agency is investigating the source of a bad odour in Bamber Bridge after a resident reported the issue to our incident hotline this week.

“We understand the distress bad odours can cause to the community, so will do everything we can to trace the source of the smell so a solution can be identified.”

A spokesman for Dunbia said: “We take feedback from the local community seriously, and the site is operating a detailed odour management plan that is approved by the Environment Agency. Our operations are fully compliant, and we remain committed to ensuring that the highest environmental standards are maintained.”

Contact the EA on: 0800 807060