Scottish Water engineers have moved in to make an urgent repair on a pipe leaking sewage into an Angus country park.
The break happened at Forfar Loch country park, close to the town’s caravan park which is packed with early-summer tourists.
Part of the pitch and putt course was previously sealed off due to a burst in the pipe allowing sewage to seep up through the ground.
The site of the leak is near the pumping station on the corner of Craig O’Loch Road.
The area, near the former Lochside leisure centre, is hugely popular with locals and visitors.
Scottish Water say it is a “complex” repair job.
Forfar community councillor Ian Dickson said: “It was leaking about three months ago and they came up and put fencing around it.
“Recently it’s been leaking outside the fencing but they arrived back to repair it today.
“The smell has been getting worse.
“It’s near the skatepark and I saw a group of children sitting there but they didn’t seem to be bothered by it.
“Maybe they were upwind, but it’s honking.”
He added: “We’ve got an irrigation generator belching diesel fumes out 24 hours a day at the north end of the loch and now a pipe leaking raw sewage about a hundred yards from a caravan park.
“The water picks up anything in the soil and deposits it back in the loch – welcome to our country park.”
Pipe renewal prioritised
Scottish Water said the Forfar pipeline is being prioritised for renewal.
A spokesperson said: “Our contractor is working on site at Forfar Loch Country Park to repair a leak that has been located on a pipeline that transports waste water between a nearby pumping station and our local waste water treatment works.
“We recognise that any leak from the sewer network is unpleasant and apologise to customers for the impact this has on the park.
“The spill of waste water was contained within the immediate vicinity of the problem, which has been fenced off to allow repairs to be carried out safely, and there was no impact on the loch.
“The team on site is working to complete a complex repair and will then reinstate the excavation and clean up the affected area as far as possible.”
They added: “We closely monitor the performance of our essential infrastructure over time in order to target longer-term investment where it is most needed.
“The recent performance of this section of pipeline will result in it being prioritised for renewal.
“We will continue to do all we can to respond promptly to any further issues until longer term work can be prepared and delivered.”
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “We have been liaising with Scottish Water and will review the situation once repairs have been completed.”