RESIDENTS fed up with the stink coming from the Little Marlow Sewage Works have been told to wait at least another eight weeks before things improve.

Bosses at Thames Water, which owns the £25million plant, hope to reduce the level of unpleasant odours by mid-July after carrying out further work during the next two months.

However, the demand from residents for there to be "zero tolerance" on the smell was dismissed by the company.

Speaking at Little Marlow Parish Council's annual meeting, Sarah Brown, Thames Water's catchment manager at the site, said: "Due to the nature of the product that we treat, I am not coming here to say there will be a minimum odour. I want to manage it down to a minimum level. There will still be the odd whiff now and again."

Thames Water has been forced to delay the commissioning of the works on a number of occasions, which has left homeowners sceptical as to whether this latest target is achievable.

Chris Taylor, from the Spade Oak Reach Resident's Association, said: "Confidence in Thames Water is particularly low at the moment and there is zero confidence that they will get it right by July."

Clive Innocent, a Little Marlow parish councillor, said: "I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a zero tolerance of smell. We didn't ask for it to come here. Right from the beginning we objected to it. We should aim for zero tolerance."

Miss Brown told those who had gathered at Abbotsbrooke Hall, in Well End, that a problem with one of the site's odour control units had led to smells escaping from the works.

She said work on tripling the unit's size along with an odour survey being carried out to identify the source would help.

She added: "I want to be a good neighbour for residents in the future. I am confident I will be able to work with them."

Contact Thames Water at customer.feedback@thameswater.co.uk