Locals are calling for more help from their MP in their battle against two massive pig farms which they claim are responsible for clouding their homes in a choking stench.
Those living near Cranswick Food sites in Watton and Stow Bedon say they are being plagued by an overpowering ammonia smell which regularly leaves them with streaming eyes, burning throats and breathing difficulties.
And as they continue to demand answers from the food-producing giant, they appear to be growing more and more frustrated at a perceived lack of support from George Freeman, the Mid Norfolk MP.
Locals living in the shadow of the Cherry Tree Farm in Stow Bedon say they have sent more than 60 emails to Mr Freeman since 2024 without receiving a response.
A local parish council's call for help has also gone unanswered.
Similar concerns have recently arisen in Watton, with locals complaining that the smell from an abattoir on the edge of town has worsened.
Mr Freeman has defended his work to combat the stench, however, pointing out that he visited Stow Bedon in 2024 and set up a liaison group with Cranswick to tackle the issue.
WHAT AND WHERE ARE THE POLLUTION PROBLEMS?
STOW BEDON
Anger has been mounting in the village, which has a population of around 200, since Cranswick's Cherry Tree Farm expanded to house 7,000 fully-grown pigs in 2021.
The ammonia smell associated with the farm - which comes from a mix of pig urine and faeces - has become known as the "Stow Bedon stink".
It later emerged the pig sheds added as part of the expansion had been built with permeable mesh "curtain walls" which locals said undermined the ventilation system intended to keep the smell under control.
The Environment Agency was forced to issue an enforcement notice over the breach, and hundreds of complaints have followed.
Breckland Council refused Cranswick's retrospective planning application for the site in October 2025, ruling the firm had failed to supply a required environmental impact assessment.
Cranswick is now appealing, with a public inquiry due to open on September 22 at Elizabeth House in Dereham, and villagers are racing to raise £28,000 to fund their case.
Ann Cuthbert and others are leading a fundraising drive to represent local voices at the appeal.
More than 750 complaints have been lodged about the farm, with objectors raising concerns about not only the odour but the pollutants which may be carried with it.
She has urged Mr Freeman do more to help.
"George Freeman visited us in October 2024 and heard directly about the pollution and residents' fears about what they may be breathing.
"Since then we have sent him more than 60 emails without a response.
"When we needed his help to take our complaint about the Environment Agency to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, he still did not respond.
"We had to turn to another Norfolk MP, Terry Jermy, and even Terry said he could not get a response from George.
"We are sick of this being reduced to a problem about smell.
"George Freeman has a strong background in science and life sciences.
"He should understand that smell is not a measure of what people are breathing.
"It is like passive smoking: the issue is not whether you dislike the smell, but what is in the air and whether exposure could harm you.
"Meanwhile George Freeman repeatedly supports Cranswick's operations on his website.
"So why does Cranswick appear able to command his attention while his own constituents cannot even get a reply?
"For us, George Freeman has become the Scarlet Pimpernel of Mid Norfolk: more than 60 emails, and even another Norfolk MP cannot get a response from him."
Stow Bedon and Breckles Parish Council has also formally intervened, writing to Mr Freeman in 2024 to demand intervention over what it called a "masterclass in warped administration" between Breckland Council and the Environment Agency.
WATTON
Four miles away in Watton, those living near Cranswick's pork processing plant and slaughterhouse tell a strikingly similar story.
Environment Agency figures show complaints about the site soared from just 26 in 2021 to 141 in 2023, but many living there now say the stench is as bad as its ever been.
Locals say they are often unable to enjoy their gardens or open windows.
Bini Pitwell, who lives in a nearby village and regularly walks past the site, said: "On more than one occasion I've experienced a nauseating odour, along with streaming eyes and throat and chest irritation.
"I'm not the only one.
"We're genuinely concerned about what's actually being emitted, because as far as we can find, it's never been measured."
She added: "George Freeman has actively advocated for Cranswick, but has gone quiet on the residents dealing with the pollution from that same company.
"What is happening in Watton is awful, and residents have been living with this since 2023.
"It mirrors what residents in Stow Bedon have faced beside Cherry Tree Farm, where hundreds of complaints have been made to the Environment Agency."
Tina Kiddell, a Reform county councillor, has said the smell may have been caused by a number of factors, however.
She said: “The smell in Watton has been getting steadily worse over the summer with much speculation that it was coming from Cranswick foods.
“However, It has been confirmed by the environmental agency that on this occasion the smell is not coming from the factory.
“That leads me to think it may be the sewage treatment plant on the Threxton estate causing it.
"However, I have been told today that there is a collapsed sewage drain in Watton. So, it could be anything, but we must get to the bottom of it as it is affecting so many people"
GEORGE FREEMAN AND CRANSWICK
Mr Freeman has a long public record of championing Cranswick as one of Mid Norfolk's most important employers.
When the Conservative was asked about what he was doing to help those battling the stenches, he said: "In this heatwave we all want to be able to enjoy our gardens and outside space, and it's very frustrating for those residents who are prevented from doing so because of the smell from local factories and food processing plants.
"Whilst food processing is a big local industry in Mid Norfolk, and Cranswick an important local employer and taxpayer, residents should be able to enjoy their homes without having to put up with persistent and unpleasant odours.
"That's why two and half years ago I set up the Cranswick community liaison group in order that those concerned could work with councillors to address the odour problems directly with Cranswick.
"I also met residents in the village of Stow Bedon to discuss this very issue.
"I want to see a constructive dialogue between residents, Cranswick, and the relevant environmental authorities so that we can get to the bottom of the issue and find a practical solution.
"I have also asked for information on the monitoring and enforcement arrangements in place and will continue to raise with the relevant agencies.
"I would encourage anyone experiencing problems to continue reporting them to Cranswick and the local authorities, cc me, so that there is a clear record of when and where these incidents are occurring and appropriate remedial action taken."
WHAT IS CRANSWICK AND WHAT DOES IT SAY?
Cranswick is one of Britain's largest food producers, listed on the London Stock Exchange as part of the FTSE 250.
Founded in Hull in 1972 by a group of East Riding farmers producing pig feed, it has grown into a group employing more than 10,000 people across around 19 sites in the UK, supplying fresh pork, sausages, cooked meats and bacon to major supermarkets.
The company reported revenue of almost £3 billion for the year to March 2026, with operating profits of £232.8 million.
Cranswick has declined to comment.
But sources at the firm say they are aware of the recent concerns.
Insiders claim significant improvements have already been made at both sites, and that it is currently working with the Environment Agency to better understand the reports of the stench.
Following the reports of the stench, it is understood Cranswick conducted an in-depth review of site operations, data and Environment Agency assessments, but found no evidence to conclude that the reported odour complaints are attributable to activities at the site.
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