HAWORTH’S iconic Main Street will be shut for five days to tackle the source of pungent odours.

Yorkshire Water says it has identified problems related to mis-connected sewerage pipes, and will need to close off the road in May to resolve the issue.

Parish councillor Angel Kershaw alerted the company to offensive smells as far back as September, voicing fears about the capacity of the village’s sewers to cope with volume.

And Cllr Kershaw, who lives off Ivy Bank Lane, said the area was again hit by an “overwhelming” stench of sewage on Friday.

She added: “It was a nice sunny day but it was so bad I had to go back indoors.

“I’ve grown up in a rural environment and I know what muck-spreading on fields smells like, but this was worse.

“We had problems with smells like that last year, and it turned out there was something wrong with the drains, which was subsequently dealt with. But we have an ongoing problem with an ageing sewerage system in Haworth that is inadequate for the new housing being built.”

Cllr Kershaw, who chairs Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council’s environment working group, warned last year of a potential pollution threat to Bridgehouse Beck. But Yorkshire Water said there was no suggestion Haworth’s sewers were being overwhelmed.

A Yorkshire Water spokesman said: “We’d like to apologise to anyone who has experienced issues with odours in Haworth.

“We’ve been carrying out extensive investigations into the sewer system in the area and will carry out further work in response to the concerns from Cllr Kershaw.

“The sewers are generally in good condition and are working as they should, however we’ve identified issues with mis-connections in the area.

“This happens when a toilet, sink, bath, shower, washing machine or dishwasher is connected into a surface water sewer rather than a foul water sewer.

“This means foul water goes directly into a river or stream, causing pollution.

“While responsibility for these issues typically lies with the home or business owner, we’ve repaired a number of them as a gesture of goodwill.

“We’ll be carrying out further work to repair two more mis-connections beginning on May 18. The work will take approximately five days to complete.

“To protect the safety of the site team and public, we need to close Main Street to traffic for the duration of the work. We understand this will inconvenience businesses and residents, and we’ll be writing to them to explain our work and invite them to discuss concerns.”