'Pong from sewage works still blights us despite £42m repairs'

A £42 million programme intended to rid southwest London of bad odours has failed, residents have claimed.

Thames Water finished the Odour Improvement Programme at Mogden sewage works in August, which involved covering the most odourproducing areas and installing airpurifying equipment.

But those living nearby have complained to Hounslow council that the smell is worse than ever. They have been concerned about the "Mogden Pong" for many years and claim the smell is particularly bad at nights. But Thames Water says the odour is monitored around the clock. The residents are calling on the council to investigate with a view to serving an abatement notice.

They are also concerned about a planned expansion of the site.

A spokesman for Mogden Residents Action Group said: "We believe it will be a travesty for this community if expansion goes ahead."

Thames Water said: "Our two-year odour improvement project was designed to achieve a 66 per cent reduction in odour from 2003 levels. This project has now been completed and we have instructed a leading external odour company to provide an independent review. We will make the results public."