Eye stench: Residents say town smells like 'boiled chicken and death'

Wayne Duffy says he thinks the smell is "like boiled chicken and death"

The Environment Agency is investigating complaints of a "stench" believed to be coming from food processing factories.

Eye in Suffolk and surrounding villages have been affected and one man said it smells like "boiled chicken and death".

Shazan Foods, just outside Eye and Cranswick Country Foods on the A140 are thought by some to be the source of the foul smell.

Shazan declined to comment and Cranswick has been contacted.

The Environment Agency (EA) is working with both of the factories to "determine the cause" and encouraged anyone with concerns to report them.

Residents have said there is a problem with flies in the town too

Residents have also reported a fly "epidemic" which some believe might be linked to the stink.

One shop has set up a specific table of goods to combat flies.

Wayne Duffy from Yaxley said: "I had a meal in the pub. It [the smell] was quite potent, you tend to smell it more when you see the lorries carrying the chickens

"I think it smells like boiled chicken and death."

Sally Butcher, from Eye, said: "We do smell it, it depends what the wind direction is but going past it is really bad and I have noticed it's getting worse, it's not nice at all".

Sally Butcher says she has noticed a smell in the town getting worse

Ms Butcher also believed there were also "terrible issue with flies" in the town.

The EA said it had received a "number of complaints about bad smells near to food processing factories in Eye".

It is working with the factories to "determine the cause" and encouraged anyone with concerns to report them.

Mid Suffolk District Council said it had received five separate odour complaints from residents specifically against Shazan Foods since the start of the year.

The complaints have been passed to the EA, which is responsible for any enforcement, the local authority said.

"We will continue to liaise with the Environment Agency and pass on all and any complaints as we appreciate how upsetting unpleasant odours can be, particularly during hot weather when doors and windows are open and people want to enjoy their gardens, " a council spokesman said.

The Environment Agency is working with chicken factories in the town to identify the cause of the smell