Penistone animal rendering farm 'smells like death'

JG Pears' animal rendering plant is on Bella Vista farm in Cubley near Penistone

Residents living near an animal rendering plant are angry at a foul smell "like death" which they say is making children sick.

Residents in Cubley, near Barnsley, said odours from Bella Vista Farm had long been an issue, but recent hot weather had made the stench worse.

The plant collects dead animals and other animal by-products, and takes them for processing.

Barnsley Council said it was investigating complaints by residents.

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One resident, who only wanted to give her name as Catherine, said the smell was "horrendous".

"It's causing flies and it's causing maggots, there are children around here that are being sick," she said.

"It smells like rotten eggs, like chickens rotting. It smells like bodies rotting really, it smells like death."

JG Pears said its Penistone site is "essential" to local farmers in collecting fallen stock and hauling to processing facilities elsewhere

Paul Beaumont, from JG Pears which runs the site, said "extreme hot weather" was to blame.

He said the company takes environmental responsibilities "extremely seriously" and said the site is "essential" to local farmers and meat producers.

"Our operatives strive to ensure day-to-day activities do not adversely impact our neighbours and the local environment, especially with respect to the current extreme weather conditions," he added.

"As a highly-reputable family business and local employer, we work very closely with the appropriate local authorities in reviewing our operations."

The company said it was one of only four animal rendering facilities in the UK, and is the most important for poultry by-products.

As part of the investigation, Barnsley Council has asked residents to keep diaries and to contact the council when the odour is at its worst.

The authority said it had worked with JG Pears to control odour since an abatement notice was served in 2013 under the Environmental Protection Act.