‘WE have suffered for long enough – and so have the poor chickens. It’s time to put end to this misery.”

Those are the words of Ian and Julia Stanbury from Fowl Play in East Huntspill, who have launched a petition calling on the Environment Agency (EA) to take action against the operators of Newbridge Farm in a bid to reduce the continuing odour problems at the site.

Mr and Mrs Stanbury are among residents in East Huntspill who have been campaigning for action to be taken to reduce odour at the farm since 2017.

The couple said despite the EA’s best efforts to reduce bird numbers from 312,500 birds to 133,500 birds, the farm is still kicking up a stink.

Mr Stanbury, said: “We know that the EA has been working with H2S to try and reduce the smell but we are still suffering.

“We have been reporting the nuisance caused by the emissions from Newbridge Farm to the Environment Agency since early 2017.

“Despite the agency having substantiated the complaints made about the odour since then as a high-level category 2 breach of the Environmental Permit conditions, it has not yet taken any formal enforcement action.

“It has worked with the operator for two and a half years to reduce the odour emissions and has recently got the bird numbers down to 133,500 in just three of the five sheds in an attempt to reduce the impact on us.

“We know the EA have been working with H2S because they say they are willing to make changes but we are still suffering three years on.”

Julia claims residents ‘dread’ going outside in their gardens during each chicken crop cycle and local businesses are losing bookings because of the overpowering smell.

She said: “The chicken farm is having a huge impact on residents lives. Some residents have been unable to sell their properties because of the farm’s smell and local businesses have suffered.

“I appreciate that the EA has taken action but more action needs to be taken to address the issue as we are still suffering because of the farm’s smell three years later.”

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said they are aware of the petition and will continue to monitor odour complaints.

“Hook 2 Sisters has reduced its stock to 133,500 birds and trialling new odour mitigation techniques to reduce odour emitted from its sheds,” the spokesman said.

“We will continue to monitor odour complaints and substantiate these as they arise by sending an officer to site. Regular updates are sent to local residents and the parish council.

“If you experience odour from the site please continue to report this via our free 24 hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60. It is important that the odour is reported at the time it is noticed as being persistent.

A Hook 2 Sisters spokesman said they are continuing to work the with the Environment Agency to address the issue and have invested in new equipment which has ‘significantly improved’ the situation.

To sign the petition click here