Campaigners have been continuing calls for authorities to resolve odour problems at a landfill in Newcastle.

Stop The Stink protestors say they feel not enough is being done to prevent odour issues at the Walleys Quarry landfill, and staged a protest in Newcastle town centre on Friday.

They want the council to pursue legal avenues and have called for the Environment Agency (EA) to speed up their investigations into the site.

One of the campaigners, Lee Bernadette Walford said: "At points, for local residents it's like living in torture chambers. In my opinion we should be getting evacuated from the area.

"The reason we're back protesting is because we feel as though everything is going far too slowly.

"We need the council to trigger the abatement notice – that needs to go through a formal process through the secretary of state – and we really need the Environment Agency to wrap up the regulatory investigation which seems to be going on forever.

"In the past few weeks the smell has been through the roof – and that's brought a lot of people out to the protest."

She said it was unacceptable that the issue had been blighting local residents for so long.

Residents have been campaigning against the odour coming from Walleys Quarry that they say is 'through the roof' (LDR).

The leader of Newcastle borough council, Simon Tagg, said things had improved but that authorities always knew their wouldn't be a quick fix.

He said: "There have been improvements on the site, but we know in the last month or so there's been an increase [in complaints submitted and odour nuisance] so the council officers are aware of that and they're doing the monitoring, they're looking at the complaints and following up some of the complaints.

"It's all about gaining that evidence so they're in a position where they can say to use as elected members we can enforce this abatement notice."

He said the council's cabinet would be updated on Tuesday at its monthly cabinet meeting, where councillors will question officers about the situation.

He said: "We always knew it would be a slow process with the abatement notice, and at the end it's a fining system we'd be into not a closing down of the site unfortunately."

Mr Tagg said he shared people's frustrations, and supported their right to speak up over the issue.

He said: "We want to keep the pressure up so we can have people behind us when we say to the EA 'do something about this' – particularly on the legal side.

"It's been too long since we've heard anything about any legal action. I know it takes a long time but the people want some sort of resolution to see somebody is being held to account."

Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council leader, Simon Tagg, said he shares people's frustrations (Google).

Meanwhile MP Aaron Bell feels the company has been repeatedly told to improve, and that formal sanctions are now long overdue.

Aaron Bell: "I think it's good that people are standing up for their community, but it's frustrating that it's taking so long to get the issue properly resolved.

"I'd urge the Environment Agency to get on with their regulatory investigation and take the appropriate action as soon as possible."

A spokesperson for Walleys Quarry said they are working tirelessly and data showed there are improvements.

They said: "The Environment Agency's own reporting data attests to the tireless work conducted by Walleys Quarry Ltd which has resulted in demonstrable, substantial and sustained progress.

"The latest report, published by the EA on Thursday 1st June showed that it was yet another successful week – Walleys Quarry Ltd continues to ensure emissions are kept down.

"We also note that Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council have recognised our improvements – stating that the 'best practicable means' are in place at the site to control landfill gas and odour."

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