Looe pong getting up everyone's noses . . .
Looe Town Council is to write to a St Cleer farmer, who also farms about four potato fields at St Martins, telling him they will be considering further action if he does not stop the practise of spreading chicken manure.
The farmer caused an outcry in the town last year when he spread the manure on his fields, the resulting smell being so obnoxious that at its height the head teacher was considering closing the Community School. The smell invaded homes at Sunrising and in the Barbican area and was offensive down in the town centre itself, where restaurant and shop owners said it affected their trade and was sending tourists away.
However, last year's pleading with the farmer has had little effect, for in the week's leading up to May Bank Holiday weekend he spread the manure again, and in the warm conditions the smell was even worse. There were reports that it could even be smelt in the fish and chip takeaways.
Councillor Frances Kenshole, who is also secretary of the Sunrising Tenants and Residents Association rang Caradon's emergency number and also wrote a letter of complaint.
She was contacted by environmental officer Pat Gormley who said the council had met the farmer and asked him not to spread manure again but he has refused to co-operate and has indicated that he will be repeating the procedure in July. Caradon had served the farmer with a pollution order in the past over the offensive smell.
The clerk to the town council, Mr Colin Easterbrook, suggested a court injunction might be a better procedure which councillors discussed, but decided to send a letter from the council first, pointing out that the dung spreading was detrimental to Looe's holiday industry and to the residents of East and West Looe.
Newly elected Caradon Councillor Ron Overd has been asked to raise the matter at the next environmental meeting.