Farmer Richard Tomlinson said he was impressed with the pellets

Human waste is being used as fertiliser across fields in Cheshire.

United Utilities has spent two-and-a-half years attempting to turn sewage into odourless fertiliser pellets in a bid to boost crop yields.

The technique has been developed in Ellesmere Port's waste water treatment works and is being used on maize and rape seed crops.

Dr Son Le, of United Utilities, said: "We could be eating vegetables grown from our waste. That's sustainable."

'Easy to use'

Every year the UK generates millions of tonnes of human waste, so this technique is being hailed as an environmentally-friendly way to dispose of the material.

The fertiliser begins life as sludge, the waste left over after sewage has been treated.

The sludge is then placed in a rotating steam-heated drum, breaking the material down into odour-free pellets, packed with nutrients.

Richard Tomlinson, from Fields Farm in Broxton, Cheshire, trialled the product.

He said: "I've been very impressed. The product is easy to use, and generates excellent yields.

"It's also completely odourless, which means farmers won't get complaints from local residents. I see no reason why it can't take off more widely."

United Utilities treats an estimated 1.35 million tonnes of sewage every day.