A HEAP of human waste is making passers-by vomit, but Northumbrian Water insist it poses no risk to public health.

The company moved to allay the fears of people living in Middleton St George, after one said the smell had made him vomit.

Ward councillor Doris Jones said: "I'm absolutely overrun with calls from people unhappy about this. It's having a serious effect on the residents' quality of life."

A spokeswoman for Northumbrian Water said: "We have done what we can to neutralise the smell. We are working with the farmer to get it spread out as soon as possible."

Using treated human waste as fertiliser has become common practice because it is illegal to dump it at sea or bury it in land-fill sites.