Westhoughton residents are kicking up a stink over a problem getting up all of their noses

And now environmental health officers are on the scent to get to the root of the problem.

The distinct smell of garlic is wafting over the town and councillors are desperate to find out where it is coming from.

It is coming from the area of the Wingates Industrial Estate and causing such a problem that the matter was raised at a meeting of Westhoughton Town Council this week.

At the meeting councillors resolved to call in the environmental health officers to hunt down the perpetrators and put a stop to the heavy smell.

Town Council leader, Cllr David Wilkinson, said: "It is obviously coming from one of the food manufacturers, but we are not sure which one.

"The smell is very strong and when the wind blows in a certain direction it goes over Wingates towards the White Horse and on to the town centre."

Concern over the ever expanding Wingates Industrial Estate was also aired at the meeting, focusing on the additional traffic it was bringing.

Cllr Wilkinson said: "As the Industrial Estate expands to its full potential it is likely to bring another thousand or so jobs with it.

"That is obviously a positive thing, but it will also bring more worker traffic, delivery vans and HGVs.

"We have a little bit of road safety near to the Wingates Grove area. But there is nothing else in the area.

"A closer look at what can be done to ease the problems needs to be taken."