All night PONG! Mystery stench leaves thousands holding their noses across the Midlands… but authorities vow to get to the bottom of it
- The smell was reported across a 50-mile area across the west Midlands last night
- It was described as ‘like bad vomit’ on social media which was awash with jokes
- Sandwell Council says it is not aware of the cause of the odour but will look into it
Thousands of people across the Midlands were left gagging by a mystery smell hanging over the region last night.
The unidentified odour, described as ‘like bad vomit’, was reported across a 50-mile area, including in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Stratford-upon-Avon and Walsall.
After a hot day, with highs of 82.4F (28C) in Birmingham, the region was hit by the sickening smell as the sun set.
Its cause has not yet been determined but a local council has made inquiries with the Environment Agency.
Thousands of people across a 50-mile area from Birmingham (pictured on Monday) to Stratford-upon-Avon were left gagging by a mystery smell that lay across the region last night
Social media was awash with jokes and theories about what the horrific smell was.
Jane Sutherland said: ‘I could smell it in Quarry Bonk. Smelt like fertiliser but not too many farms around here.’
Jacqueline Jones commented: ‘In Wednesfield – was like bad vomit and later like fumes burning.’
Another wrote: ‘I thought my next door neighbour was putting manure onto the plants, but no the smell is everywhere in Birmingham and Sandwell.’
Hannah Hiles posted: ‘Horrendous smell of dog poo in the air in Cannock this evening!
‘Thought our neighbour’s dog must have had some kind of grim accident, but then seen on Twitter that it’s all over the Black Country and Birmingham?’
Another wrote: ‘Yes in Walsall. It was proper cheesy. My son in Stratford-upon-Avon could smell it too.’
Chris Phillips said: ‘Got a whiff of that yesterday afternoon in the garden. As we have lots of cats in the area I thought it may have been one of them.
‘Couldn’t find any evidence though. Horrible smell.’
Another said: ‘Was a cross between stale wet mops and faeces, vile, so much for opening windows to let some air in!’
Some speculated that the smell was caused by farmers spraying manure over fields in the heat but Sandwell Council said it is not sure what the source of the smell is at this stage and has contacted the Environment Agency to ask if it is aware of anything specific
Some speculated that the smell was caused by farmers spraying manure over fields in the heat.
Caroline Handley commented: ‘I live near Sandwell Valley and sometimes there is a smell from the farms spraying manure. Thought that was what it was.’
Max Hatton posted: ‘Farmers have been spraying manure over their fields. It was warm yesterday with the winds blowing the smell and it lingered over the city.
‘It’s not aliens, not a chemical attack, not coronavirus. Just normal s**t.’
But Sandwell Council said it is not sure what the source of the smell is at this stage and has contacted the Environment Agency to ask if it is aware of anything specific.