Merseyside residents plagued by bubbling water that ‘smells of scrambled egg’

People living on a housing estate are being plagued by bubbling water that ‘smells of scrambled egg’ emerging from a hill near their homes.

The smell has been so strong it has left some local residents reeling – with bubbling water also appearing at the site near the Domsville housing estate in Prescot in recent days.

Local resident Megan Duffin shared footage of the bubbling water on Facebook, asking if anyone had any idea what was causing the water to buble.

Megan, who lives further up from the site, said she first noticed the smell a couple of days ago, before realising today there was water bubbling away.

After filming the water bubbling, she shared the footage in a local group, saying: “Can anyone explain this?

“It’s the hill opposite Domville next to the school. Down the hill on the road there’s water going to the drain from (I’m guessing) the water under the hill? But it’s bubbling and has a strange smell too.

“Walking my son to school and couldn’t explain when he asked what it was .”

Megan added: “It had a strange smell. Kind of sewerish or like my son said “scrambled egg” smell.”

The mum added that she was concerned the flooded area was becoming so waterlogged that a sinkhole could develop, adding this was especially dangerous as an unofficial path through the hill was often used by parents and children taking a shortcut to a nearby school.

Megan said she was also concerned water was now starting to run off from the hill, heading in the direction of homes in the area.

Her post in a local Facebook group prompted dozens of comments from other concerned local residents.

One person said: “There is a vile smell..I tried to get a ball out for two boys the other day” adding that she had noticed a drain cover nearby,

Another said they had noticed the smell while driving their taxi, while others stressed the importance of getting it reported because it could pose a risk to local residents.

Megan said that after posting the video she then reported the flood to United Utilities who have now confirmed they will visiting the site in the coming days.

She said: “Too many houses around there for me to leave it alone” and received a call back from United Utilities to say they had logged it and would be visiting the site in the coming days.

A spokesperson for United Utilities said: “A leak was reported to us in Prescot this morning and our teams will be visiting the area to investigate.”