The cause of the smell that is travelling far and wide in Northampton

As the temperature soars to 30 degrees, you might have noticed an unusual stench wafting around the Billing area.

The Chronicle & Echo has been on the case to determine the origins of the odour after readers have been questioning the cause.

The smell has now been identified by the regions water authority as 'biosolids'.

An Anglian Water spokesperson told the Chron: “Some customers in the Cogenhoe and Billing area may notice an increase in odour from our Water Recycling Centre at Great Billing due to the storage of biosolids on location.

“Biosolids are organic manures produced by the treatment of wastewater and are a high-quality alternative to manufactured fertilisers, providing an enhanced soil quality and fertility to farmers within our region.

“Due to the size of our works at Great Billing, a large proportion of the biosolids are stored here, and recent hot weather can increase the likelihood of odours. The nature of the work we do means that odours sometimes occur, and we work hard to minimise any instances wherever we possibly can.

“We already have odour units in place to try and reduce the instances of odours wherever we possibly can. However, we would ask residents who notice unpleasant smells to contact us our customer services number 03457 145 145, including details of the location when they smelt the odour, as well as the time and date.”