Mystery surrounds foul smell that 'smelled like poo' detected in Gateshead

A foul stench was was reported across Gateshead and Newcastle at the weekend. Credit: Image by cookie_studio on Freepik

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of a bad smell that has been reported across Tyneside.

People across areas including Wardley, Felling, Low Fell, Newcastle city centre, and near the Metrocentre said they had noticed the stink across the weekend.

Similar concerns were raised in July, with the cause determined to be the Wardley Biogas Plant at the Follingsby Park industrial estate - however, the Environment Agency says the facility, which generates energy from food waste, was not the source this time.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We are working in partnership with Gateshead Council to determine the source of odour across Gateshead and Newcastle city centre.

"Following reports of odours from the BioConstruct plant in Wardley Colliery our officers have conducted monitoring and can confirm the odour is not from this site's waste activities.

"Members of the public are urged to report odour incidents to the Environment Agency's 24-hour hotline on 0800 807060 or to the local council."

One Low Fell resident, who asked not to be named, said the odour would leave locals unable to open their windows during this week's warm weather.

She said: "It honestly smelled like poo, I thought that someone must have put some manure or fertiliser down.

"I live in Low Fell, but people have been saying that they could smell it all the way down to the Metrocentre. For a smell to travel that far is very unusual.

"I have never known anything like it before here. The only time you would get that smell is going past a field or a farm, it was that kind of manure smell.

"It's especially bad with the hot weather coming this week because people will want to have their windows open."

Following the incident in July, Jarrow MP Kate Osborne made a complaint to the Environment Agency about the Wardley Biogas plant.

Following the fresh complaints made over the weekend, she said that she was "furious that constituents are still being subject to these awful odours" and that she would be making a visit, though this was before it was cleared for the latest issues.

BioConstruct NewEnergy Ltd, which runs the plant, has been approached for a response.

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