Gas smell over Teesside being investigated

Greatham is one of the places investigators are suggesting could be the source of a gas smell in Teesside

A recurring "gas smell" over the Teesside area is being investigated.

People living in Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Stockton have raised repeated concerns recently over an odour they fear is natural gas, Northern Gas Networks (NGN) said.

Investigators have so far found no evidence of it being linked to natural gas or the gas pipe network.

But they now believe it is emanating from somewhere around Port Clarence, Seal Sands, Greatham and Cowpen Bewley.

Work to map the location of the smell has led to teams being "mobilised on the ground" in the vicinity of those areas, as part of a multi-agency effort between NGN, councils, emergency services and the Environment Agency.

'Trace the odour'

Ian Waddle, head of customer operations support at NGN, said a number of possible sources of the odour have been identified.

He added: "These are hard to rule out or confirm without ground observation so you may see our agency partners out and about at hot spots where we've received the highest number of reports of a 'gas-like' odour.

"They will be helping to trace the odour and using specialist technology to help identify the smell."

Monitoring is continuing at key industrial sites in the area and an environmental mapping exercise is continuing with the aim of plotting events linked to the smell, such as tidal impacts or rainfall.

Mr Waddle said: "While this situation is ongoing it is vitally important that members of the public don't get complacent and it is essential that if they smell gas they call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately."