Yorkshire Water is to spend £3m to finally rid an East Riding community of the foul stench from a nearby treatment works.

Since opening in 2000, the smell from the Saltend plant has caused problems in Hedon and the surrounding area.

Residents have complained the smell has meant they have been unable to sit out in their gardens.

Tom Barrett, who owns the Tower House guest house, in Tower House Lane, Saltend, next to the works, said the smells were driving away his customers.

He said: "When the wind blows, the smell in our direction is sickly and gets into the house, even when the doors and windows are closed.

"People have been leaving because of the smell. We lost 10 people in one night early last year.

"We can't go out in the garden when the smell is blown this way. It's costing us hundreds of pounds."

The £3m plan is part of the company's five-year investment, which should reduce the risk of odours being detected in close proximity to the plant.

The plan has been approved by the industry regulator Ofwat.

Mr Barrett said: "They have spent millions using all these technical ideas which haven't worked.

"The only way is to build a shed over the top with extractor fans. They need to make it air tight."

Yorkshire Water confirmed £3m is to be spent to tackle the problem.

The work to build an additional odour control unit is expected to start in April, though the company wouldn't give any more details about what was to be done until a final decision has been made.

Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, has campaigned for years for improvements to be made.

Although pleased the money is being spent, he told the Mail "the proof will be in the smelling".

He said: "The smells are making residents lives a misery.

"Some residents have told me that the odours have come up from the floor, which must feel awful.

"Residents were assured there would be no odour when the water treatment plant was built. This hasn't been the case and people feel let down.

"The news of the £3m is a start, though no champagne corks will be pulled by residents until the smell is gone."

The £3m investment follows the completion of an £860,000 upgrade of the odour control unit at the site last year.