A GROUP of residents organised the first protest demonstration in their town for 50 years to voice their anger about the unpleasant smell coming from a pet food factory.

Dozens of protesters wearing white dust masks gathered this morning outside the The Real Pet Food Company (TRPC) factory in Bodelwyddan, which opened a year ago.

The odour coming from the plant has been described as overpowering – not least during the recent heatwave – and concerns have also been expressed about the inhalation of dust expelled from the production process.

The protesters, whose placards bore slogans such as "Profit Over Health" and "We need Clean Air", were joined by the Mayor of Bodelwyddan, Cllr Richard Mainon.

The last time residents of Bodelwyddan held a public protest was in 1968, when they opposed the path of the new A55 expressway cutting through the town.

Cllr Mainon said: “I don’t think (TRPC) they expected us to be anything more than a rabble with pitchforks, and were surprised to find how organised we are. Next we will be going after their brand.

“We will put pressure on supermarkets in the area to stop stocking TRPC products, and if they continue to stock it, we will boycott their stores.”

Cllr Mainon said he managed to speak to James Lawson, director of the firm's parent company, Inspired Pet Nutrition.

He said: “Mr Lawson came out and told us that the company were interested in being a good member of the community and were looking for a solution for the problem.

“I got into a debate with Mr Lawson, and made clear that the residents had been patient with the process of multiple unsatisfactory attempts to fix this, but that has now run its course.

“ If you can’t put out your washing with all that rubbish in the air, you can’t let your children in the garden.

“The fact that a year has passed and the company has refused to satisfactorily address this means that they had burnt through all of their goodwill.”

Earlier this year the firm submitted plans for two 40-metre high chimneys to deal with the odour problem at the Kinmel Park site, but residents said this would be an eyesore and so would effectively be replacing one problem with another.

The Real Pet Food Company managing director Graham Wheeler told the Journal today that following consultations with Denbighshire County Council, a revised scheme had been submitted involving "the best available odour abatement equipment on the oven flues combined with a single, reduced-height chimney".

“I feel our agreement to this dual approach is proof of the firm’s commitment to find an answer that works for all parties," Mr Wheeler said.

Under the revised plans, the final height of the chimney would be between 32 and 35 metres, the first 15 metres of which would be below the factory roof level.

But Cllr Mainon said: “They want a chimney to fix the issue. We don’t.

“There are two villains here: [Denbighshire Council] public protection, which is impotent, and the business, which only cares about profit and has been inexplicably plonked right next to people's homes.

“I’ve been promised abatement twice by public protection, and they’ve never followed through. Public protection simply is not protecting the people.”

“Meanwhile a company with a turnover in the millions is allowed to drag its feet for more than a year, refusing to spend an extra £150,000 to lift people out of misery, which is frankly ridiculous."

Mr Lawson responded: “It’s quite a complex issue. There is no easy fix for food production, food odour and abatement.

"You don’t just pull out a solution out of the air with the best technology and the least environmental impact and that’s that

“Graham and the team have been really open with the council and experts to try and mitigate the issue.

“The comment I got from the protesters were that they were really happy for us to be there, and happy to wait while we come up with a fix.

"One lady even said she’d be happy to wave a placard asking for us to stay.

“However, I do find the comments about attacking our brand inflammatory, It only hurts the business and hurts jobs.

“We all agreed we want to remove the aroma but also to create jobs, teach skills and engage with the community. I am really positive for the future.”

Protest organiser Pat Chapman insisted: “No one said they were happy.

"We actually said we do not want to see any chimneys of any height and we do not want any odour.

"We will only be happy with no chimneys and no odour.

“One resident did say that if they put a full air-filtering system in then they would be supported."