A STREAM of obnoxious smelling slurry was spotted running down an Oswaldtwistle lane, to the disgust of residents.

The flowing river of muck was spotted by a group of photography enthusiasts out on a walk in the sun.

John Mullen, of Foxhill Terrace, in Oswaldtwistle, said the Civic Camera Group was on a walk to the Jackhouse Nature Reserve when they had to change route.

He said: “We intended on walking up through the Pine Forest but soon abandoned the idea because of the deep mud. I suggested we retrace our steps and go up Cobbs Lane, thinking the top end of the reserve would be drier.”

But he said the sight that greeted them was one of sheer horror - a river of manure.

Mr Mullen said: “From a distance it appeared as if somebody had been laying tarmac. As we approached there was a smell.

“This obnoxious smell got stronger and stronger.”

Last year, Mr Mullen reported a spring-like leak that smelt like ‘farm yard effluent’ in the same road, he said.

He said: “As our group progressed up Cobbs Lane, I was saying it had never been so bad because now, not only was there a little spring, this was flowing from much higher up the lane and there was much more of it.

“What we thought was newly laid tarmac was newly laid manure, with the effluent running down Cobbs Lane.”

Oswaldtwistle councillor Peter Britcliffe said he was contacted earlier in the week, and described the mess as ‘extremely strange’.

Hyndburn mayor Judith Addison said she was helping to investigate the source of the muck.

She said: “The photos are shocking and I have seen all I want to see. As ward councillor I should definitely get involved. It’s possible a septic tank at a nearby farm might have overflowed.

“I’m trying to find out more about this. Coun Britcliffe forwarded me a Facebook post from John showing the horrendous photos of lane with all the manure.”

Coun Addison said she has contacted Mr Mullen requesting more information and this would be passed to the council.