Christchurch suburb of Bromley

PHOTO: JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF Residents in the east Christchurch suburb of Bromley believe the Living Earth composting facility is the cause of a stench they say has wafted over the area for years.

A foul stench has plagued the suburb of Bromley for years. DOMINIC HARRIS goes on the hunt for potential culprits.

It has become known as the stench of Bromley – a fetid, foul air that floats along on a warm breeze before settling over the east Christchurch suburb like an unwelcome guest.

For years residents have bemoaned the putrid pong, claiming the air is so bad they are trapped in their homes, forced to relentlessly wash their bodies and clothes to rid themselves of a smell they liken to a disgusting soup of rotten fish, bins and dead animals.

Their neighbourhood is arguably the smelliest in the city, its 274 industrial sites the perfect cauldron for unpleasant smells to ripen and ferment.

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