I CAN'T help noticing how the smell from the drains in York city centre has increased in recent years.

I thought that the reason for this was the hot summers we've had - in fact the reek emanating from them has always reminded me of the whiffs in towns I've visited when on holiday in hot countries.

But what I don't understand is that the stench in York is stronger than ever this year, and we don't even have a hot summer to blame!

I'm beginning to wonder if the real reason is an overload of the (presumably Victorian?) sewage system and whether this is in itself due to the proliferation of blocks of flats, and the accompanying population increase.

If anyone has an explanation for the pongy phenomenon, I'd be interested to hear, and, rather more importantly, is there anything that can be done about it?

Alison Reboul,

Victor Street,

York.

Updated: 10:56 Tuesday, August 30, 2005