And now for something completely unpleasant!

I usually prefer to spend time looking at the interesting, occasionally light hearted and generally positive elements to living on the peninsula. Today though, there is no escaping a rather ‘odd’ situation. To say the least!

Now, I’ve excluded many of the worst photos that were taken, but I would still advise anyone with a sensitive disposition to skip over the pictures.

Still here? Okay, so this is the situation . . .

During a recent litter picking session in Hoo, volunteers noticed that someone had been dumping carrier bag loads of faeces in the centre of the village.

The area affected is off Stoke Road behind the Village Square car park, and it would appear to have been going on for at least a couple of months.

So far around nine bags have been dumped, mostly left in the bushes near the public toilets. But last week two of the bags were thrown onto the roof of the toilets!

On each occasion, I’m sorry to say, the bags were bulging. Revolting I know. And it gets even weirder!

At the end of last month, bags of faeces were left alongside a bag containing four dead Teal - a small member of the duck family.

Rolf Williams from the RSPB was called out to give his opinion as to why the birds might have been dumped and to see if he could tell how they died.

Rolf was bewildered about why they were dumped, although he quickly noticed that the birds had been shot from beneath, as if killed in flight. He told me that the species aren’t protected from wildfowling, so there isn’t actually a conservation concern.

However, the way in which the birds (and waste) were dumped is a big concern. So local residents are being asked to be extra vigilant when in this part of the village - reporting anything unusual, and supplying information about who might be doing this (confidentially of course) to Medway Council or the Police.

If you want to get in touch with Medway Council, phone Johnny Robinson (Community Officer for Peninsula Ward) on 01634 333333, or call the Police on 101.

This story is mentioned in today’s edition of the Medway Messenger (Monday edition), following a visit last week to Hoo by reporter Dan Bloom.

Johnny Robinson talking to Dan Bloom from the Medway Messenger.

As Nick Ross used to say on BBC Crimewatch - “don’t have nightmares” and report anything suspicious!
 

RSPB January newsletter (On the Marshes) out now!!

The January edition of the RSPB’s newsletter for the North Kent area, ‘On the Marshes’, is out now - just click the image below to download a copy!

Visit the websites of the local RSPB groups: Gravesend and Medway.
 

Fresh air soon in Hoo . . . Pong Update!

Following a post on this site in September, about the unpleasant smell coming from Chatham Docks and sweeping across Hoo, Peel Ports have now released an update on the situation.

Click the images below to enlarge:

I can't wait for some fresh air!
 

Can you smell something in Hoo?

If you live in Hoo or the surrounding area, you might have noticed an unsual smell sweeping across the village in the past few days. I can now confirm its cause - thanks to information supplied by the Environment Agency (below).

Press Statement - Odours from Chatham Docks

The Environment Agency, which regulates waste legislation in England and Wales, is actively working with the owner and operator of Chatham Docks, Peel Ports, to resolve the current odour issues being experienced in the area surrounding the docks.

The root cause of the odour is from stockpiles of wood chip that are being stored at the site prior to onward shipment to Sweden where the material is used in the generation of heat and electricity. Recent movements of the wood chip, that had been on the dockside for longer than is typically expected, resulted in the release of odours associated with the natural degradation of the wood. These odours have been carried off site by the wind, and have caused a nuisance to those living near the site.

We have prioritised our efforts on this site and the activities that are giving rise to the odours. We have recommended a number of measures to minimise the smell. Peel Ports have plans in place to ensure that the material will be moved to Sweden as soon as possible and are bringing equipment on to the site to minimise the problem in the interim. These measures will include suppression systems designed to control airborne particles and odours.

Jon Griffin, Senior Environment Officer said "We understand that strong odour can cause a lot of distress to communities. This site and the reported issues are a top priority and we are working with the operator, Peel Ports, to resolve the problems related to their activities as quickly as possible. In the interim we would appreciate anyone who is experiencing odour and dust problems to call our hotline on 0800 807060."

Environment Agency - Kent and South London