A VERDICT is expected today (Thursday) in the trial of a company accused of causing foul smells while disposing of thousands of animal carcases during the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.

The jury spent all day trying to reach a verdict yesterday (Wed-nesday) and were resuming today after being sent home.

Fats and Proteins (UK) Ltd is said to have allowed sickening, disgusting and nauseous' smells to escape from the animal rendering factory it runs at Nightingale Hall Farm in Quernmore Road, Lancaster.

One of the conditions of the company's licence stipulates that no offensive odours should be detectable outside the plant.

But Lancaster City Council, which brought the prosecution at Carlisle Crown Court, says the company broke that condition and committed a criminal offence by allowing offensive smells to escape from the plant from May 8 to May 12, 2001.

People living nearby comp-lained that the smell made them retch and children at a local primary school complained of feeling sick.

During the three-week trial Mr Edwin Metcalfe, managing director of Fats and Proteins (UK) Ltd in May 2001, said his firm was forced by the Government to cut corners in the way it disposed of the thousands of dead cattle, sheep and pigs.

Mr Metcalfe told the jury normal business procedures did not apply during that time.

He said his company had no right to refuse foot-and-mouth material being brought in.

And he added: "The company was no longer master in its own house. Odour control was being sacrificed in the interests of controlling the virus."