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A council has launched an investigation after claims that farmers have covered their fields in human poo.

Local residents claim the "overpowering" stench could only have come from sewage being used as fertiliser.

People living in Tring, Hertfordshire, reckon they are trapped in their own homes by the horrific smell, which has been described as 'bad enough to make your eyes bleed'.

The smell began in April when tractors began fertilising the fields, but resident Sharon Maxfield reckons the pong has only become worse since the spate of warm weather.

She said: "I can't have my back door open. The smell is so intense it almost makes my eyes bleed.

"It gets me in the back of the throat, I've got a headache since last week.

"You don't want to eat anything, you're breathing in human poo particles basically.

"It's not nice for the children - they can't go out in the garden. We've bought a hot tub and now we can't use it."

Other residents have complained they have been unable to put their washing out.

Dacorum Borough Council said they were investigating the horrific smell with Thames Water to determine whether sewage sludge was used.

A spokesperson said: "At the moment, investigations have not shown that any offences have been committed but we will continue to look into it."

The National Farmers Union claimed human waste was regularly spread on fields used to grow crops, but there are strict guidelines to prevent horrendous smells, and to prevent excrement being used to produce our food.