On the Beach creates emergency holiday fund for residents near ‘putrid’ landfill site

Online travel agent On the Beach has created a £20,000 emergency holiday fund to help Derbyshire residents escape the “putrid smells and swarms of flies” linked to a nearby landfill site.

The company has created the fund for people living in Duckmanton and Poolsbrook, villages near the Erin landfill site, after hearing the stench has become so powerful that families “feel like prisoners in their own homes”.

On the Beach has emailed all previous customers in the area to let them know £75 holiday credit has been added to their accounts. Other residents can register via an email address shared within the community.

Caspar Nelson, vice-president of marketing and customer at On the Beach, said: “When we heard that residents in Duckmanton and Poolsbrook can’t open their windows or enjoy the sunshine without being hit by putrid smells and swarms of flies, we knew we had to do something. When the sun is shining and you can’t enjoy it, that’s no way to spend the summer.”

He added: “The emergency fund is now active and we hope we can get them escaping Erin landfill for a beach far away within days.

“We’ve sent an urgent email to every known customer from the area and are encouraging them to pass on details so more can apply.

“If we can help get the entire population of Duckmanton and Poolsbrook away, we will.”

Residents have been instructed not to share the email address with anyone who works at Valencia, the company operating the landfill.

More than 300 people have made complaints about the site, according to Derbyshire Live, while Valencia has issued an apology.