Anyone unfortunate enough to walk along the footpath crossing the Bear Field in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, over the past couple of weeks will have had the misfortune of walking through raw sewage leaking out of drains and collecting on the edge of the football fields and skate park.

As the recent warm weather has attracted more outside, those sat outside popular venues such as The Bear Hotel or The Yard, whilst enjoying a drink or food, will have undoubtedly been hit by the stench.

Pedestrians using the Bear Field footpath to move between North Road and the Cowbridge Leisure Centre or the Cowbridge Health Centre will unavoidably have to trundle through sewage scum and standing water. The footpath edges have pooled the raw sewage, that visibly contains excrement, sanitary towels and other smelly nasties. 

People of all ages use the footpath and the football pitch is metres away.

The skate park just off the footpath is always full of children. Parents walking with prams regularly use the footpath to take their children to visit the surgery that is accessed by the path. It is well used by those who attend the leisure centre and so one dreads to think what is getting brought into the gym on the bottom of people's trainers.

Complaints have been lodged by locals over the leak, but no one seems to be taking responsibility as the issue has been ongoing for many weeks.

When contacted, The Vale of Glamorgan Council stated that the responsibility to sort the issue lay with Welsh Water, not them, and was transferred on the telephone.

An electronic complaint submitted over a week ago, also received no response.

All the while sewage continues to leak into the Bear Field.

When contacting Welsh Water, they stated that they had sent someone out 8 days ago, but had been unable to resolve the issue, when pushed for who then this sits with for sorting the problem, Welsh Water stated it lies with Cowbridge Leisure Centre, who in turn say it lies with the Vale of Glamorgan Council. 

As the decision of who is accountable for resolving the flow of poo goes in circles, the residents and visitors can expect to receive a smelly reception when venturing through the town and it's probably best to avoid the Bear Field footpath which still lacks any cordon after over a week.