I WISH to take issue with Mr Swain of South West Water, (Awful odour offends villagers, Times Jan 4). The evidence of a lack of response from SWW (should he wish to investigate) is in the parish council minutes, letters and many complaints from the people of Lydford.

The odour that this village has had to put up with has been getting progressively worse over the last few years. The smell emanates from the sewerage system and is caused by septic sewage being discharged from a holding tank — a new sewage treatment works is not going to solve the odour. The problem is well known but trying to get SWW to do something has been difficult with procrastination at every point. We as a parish council have now had to send a recorded letter to the managing director of SWW and involve our MP and OFWAT.

SWW assured us that once they had completed their investigations a public meeting would be held to discuss the findings and remedies. The benefit of this would enable the village to impress on SWW the extent of the problem that has blighted their lives.

The people of this village pay SWW to provide a service, this they have failed to do. Their customer relations can only be described as abysmal. Perhaps the only language SWW will understand is if people refuse to pay their bills until they start providing the service they are paid for.

S P W Powne

Vice-chairman

Lydford Parish Council