AN INVESTIGATION into foul smells in Northwich town centre has drawn a blank.

United Utilities has carried out an examination of its sewers at the junction of Witton Street and Crown Street after years of unpleasant odours and found that they are not to blame.

Barry Cropper, United Utilities network manager for the Northwich area, said: “We take any complaints about our sewer network very seriously and have carried out an extensive investigation on the pipes in this area.

“Our engineer could not smell any odour at the time and a comprehensive survey of the sewers has shown there are no blockages and no evidence our network is causing the odour."

Northwich Town Council had contacted the utilities giant to ask for help in the light of improvement work in Witton Street and wider regeneration plans for the town.

This has so far included resurfacing work in the Bull Ring and the along a stretch of Witton Street from its junction with Tabley Street to its junction with Venables Road.

Clr Jamieson suggested that a solution needed to be found to the smell before any new paving was laid in that area of the town centre.

The former Vale Royal borough councillor also said that the problem was a long-standing one, dating back to the time of Vale Royal Borough Council.

He suspected that gas was somehow escaping from the sewer network to the public highway.

United Utilities has agreed to investigate the cause of the stink again in future.

Mr Cropper said: "We have discussed the issue with Clr Jamieson and he has agreed to contact us when he detects this intermittent problem again so we can carry out further investigations.”