A factory has been served a formal notice - two decades after residents first complained of a pong coming from the site.

Drytec of Morley Road, has been given the notice by Tonbridge and Malling council, requiring them to stop the sickly-sweet smell coming from their factory that has been troubling residents in Tonbridge for 20 years.

The factory produces fragrances used in deodorant and flavours for food. Despite its industrial location in Tonbridge emissions can often be smelt in the north of the town.

Around 700 people signed an online petition in February this year demanding action to be taken after becoming fed up of living with the smells.

Plant organisers stated that new technology would be installed to provide a long-term solution to the ongoing issue, however, this has not yet been installed.

The borough council still expects this equipment to be installed within a matter of days.

However after delays occurring in a timetable set out by Drytec, the council is not satisfied there are adequate measures in place to prevent the problem getting worse.

This is why the council has now moved to serve a formal notice.

A spokesman for Drytec said: "We have something in place to reduce the emissions, we are installing a regenerative thermal oxidiser. We only fell a week behind schedule and were issued a notice.

"On Monday when we get it commissioned everything will be back to normal."