AN INVESTIGATION is ongoing into an unpleasant pong that is lingering over Southend, it has been confirmed by Southend Council.

The council, along with Hadleigh Salvage Recycling Limited, told the Echo that they are both working with Environment Agency officers to resolve the smell.

The Echo reported on Friday that the unpleasant smell was “affecting people’s ability to enjoy where they live” and

Hadleigh Salvage Recycling Limited, on Stock Road, stated that the smell was categorically not coming from them.

Sue Clarke, the managing director of the recycling plant, said: “It’s certainly not from us.

“It’s a very distinct smell. The smell is far worse earlier in the morning.”

“We don’t have sewage waste on our site, which means that the eggy smell won’t be coming from us.”

The 55-year-old explained how the company work with the Environment Agency as part of their environment permit.

She added: “We have daily routines from them. We have a very good relationship with their officers.

“Everything is so strict and tight. All our drains have recently been cleared and washed out. We do two checks a day to check for smells from us.”

Daniel Cowan, councillor for St Laurence ward, has been working with residents in reporting when the smell is at its worst.

Sam Lane, owner of ABC addictions, an alcohol addiction support service, who lives on the Ecko park estate, told the Echo that all the residents nearby have had enough. The 43-year-old, said: “Everyone’s demoralised. I’m sure it is faecal matter. It was so bad over the summer. We had to close all our windows every day. I vomited three times because of it.

“We’ve lived here for a year – I reckon we’ve had 20 or less smell free days.”

Carole Mulroney, councillor for environment and planning, said: “We have been receiving complaints of an odour in an area of Southend since the start of the summer, and our environmental health team are examining a number of potential sources and premises.

“This is a complex investigation that also involves working with the Environment Agency.

“Officers have been making site visits and also have to consider a number of factors including wind direction, the impact on quality of life and how often the smell is present.”

The Environment Agency was contacted for a statement, but did not supply one before we went to press.