'Unbelievable pong' plagues holiday park for years
BBCOngoing problems with an "unbelievable pong" at a holiday park have led to criticism of a utility company for not doing enough to tackle the issue.
Bosses at Lady's Mile Holiday Park in Dawlish Warren, Devon, complained a sewage smell occurred intermittently in part of the site, forcing some visitors to leave when it arose.
Park operations manager Stephen Brown said the business had contacted South West Water about the problem over a number of years but the issue had been "ignored".
South West Water said in a statement work at a treatment works in the area had caused "some temporary smells" but it had also investigated the possibility the smell could be coming from elsewhere.
The park manager said the smell was "only sporadic but it happens a fair few times in the year" - lasting a day or several days in a row.
He said South West Water had been repeatedly contacted about the issue.
"They're just ignoring it," he said.
"It's affecting our business, it's affecting the touring side of the business and has done for about five years.
"During that time frame we have people that have decided to leave because of it and it's just not on... we're just not being told anything from South West Water."
Martin Wrigley, Liberal Democrat MP for Newton Abbot, said the smell "hits you in the nose".
"I wouldn't want to have my holiday spoiled by this smell.
"When we got out of the car, the pong here was just unbelievable."
He said South West Water had previously dealt with a blockage in the area.
"It did get better for a little bit but to have this continuing on for basically five years is just unacceptable," he said.
"You get out of the car and you think, 'Oh my goodness - have I stood in the middle of a field where a farmer is spreading muck?'.
"No, it's the sewage processing plant across the road from here and it's really not good enough."
Rosie Dawson, Devon county councillor for Dawlish Parish, said she was "appalled" that the problem persisted over years.
She said: "We have this foul smell still and this lack of communication to this huge business, it's the heart of Dawlish.
"Numerous, numerous complaints - South West Water are not even responding - it's really, really upsetting."
South West Water said it was "aware of reports about odour in the Dawlish Warren area".
It said work at Timaru Sewage Treatment Works "had caused some temporary smells" but this was now complete and the site was back to normal operation.
"The prolonged hot, dry weather has also made odours from the sewer network more noticeable," the firm said.
"Our odour control equipment at Timaru has remained operational throughout."
It added its own investigation "indicated the smell is linked to a private sewer network" for which it was not responsible.
"We'll continue to monitor the area," it added.
The BBC has contacted the Environment Agency for comment.
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