• From August 3, 2006

Berrylands residents were being urged to kick up a stink about the “barrier to redevelopment” in the area.

If enough residents complained about the “Berrylands Pong” the council would be forced to do something about it, according to an odour control specialist.

Stephen Toogood, an independent expert witness in court cases involving smells from sewage works, said people annoyed by the smell should repeatedly complain to the council and environmental health to make any potential legal case stronger.

He said: “The sewage works operator needs to do enough odour control not to annoy the neighbours.

“If neighbours are annoyed they should go to their local councillor because if enough elected councillors can go to the environmental health department and wag their elected fingers, the council should do something.”

Thames Water carried out a survey at the site to investigate whether alterations were needed to cater for predicted growth in the area served by the sewage works.

A Thames Water spokesman said: “We’ll take into account all comments from residents that are made to us directly and passed on from others who receive them.”

A resident, who withheld his name, thought part of the problem was down to the closure of the sewage works in Worcester Park in 1999.

The site was converted into luxury accommodation by St James Homes, the developer partly-owned by Thames Water, and the area’s sewage was sent to be processed at the Hogsmill works in Berrylands.

He said: “They must be processing double the amount of waste they used to at that site since the Worcester Park site closed.

“Also, it used to be a well-maintained site with trimmed lawns that was proud to open its doors to the public. They had open days for the neighbours and would let school groups and university students in to see what happened there.”

In July Thames Water refused to allow the Surrey Comet in to see what went on at the sewage works.

But Borough Environmental Health officer Bob Smart said the amount of waste being processed was not unmanageable.

He said: “The closure of the works at Worcester Park was preceded by a major upgrade of the Hogsmill works to cope with increased flows.”

  • From August 6, 2006 

Stray terrapins sparked fear among animal lovers when they were spotted in the Hogsmill River. Carol Bryce, of Watersplash Close, suspected the new arrivals were eating ducklings.

She said: “I’ve been watching a group of baby ducks recently, and since the terrapins have arrived, I can only spot half the number of ducklings. The big terrapin is always on a rock sunbathing.”

  • From August 2, 1991

New Malden officially had the largest Korean community in Europe for the first time. Almost 1,000 people who hailed from the East Asian country called the town home. Cultural attaché Ji Won Suh said he enjoyed the area’s friendliness.

He added: “We feel very grateful to our neighbours for being so friendly to foreigners who speak the language in a different way.”

  • From July 27, 1966 

A Finnish man visited Kingston. While in the borough Mr Jaako Vikma attended a meeting of the Kingston Hundrede Round Table at the Kings Arms pub where funeral director Colin Cocks gave an “interesting and informative” talk.

The crowd was so surprised by their exotic guest that they called the Surrey Comet to report the “unusual visit”.