Campaigners have welcomed a decision by magistrates to fine a rendering company £20,000 for breaching its environmental permit.

Skips containing animal waste were found left open in a yard at Omega Proteins’ site at Swales Moor near Queensbury, the court in Halifax was told.

The Leo Group, which also owns a factory in Half Acre Road, Denholme, pleaded guilty to two charges of contravening the conditions of its permit and was fined £10,000 for each offence.

Calderdale Council environmental health officers had visited the site at Swales Moor Farm in April last year following complaints of a foul odour from residents living nearby, magistrates, who also ordered the company to pay £4,500 towards the costs of the case, were told.

The officers found some of the skips to be leaking and many could not be closed.

They also discovered some skips had been in the open for up to six days and the door of a building where animal material was stored was also open.

Bev Barker, of Queensbury-based Swalesmoor Action Group, said: “We are overjoyed with the result of Calderdale Council’s prosecution and pleased that Omega Proteins pleaded guilty to serious breaches of the environmental permit.

“We trust that they are shamed by their actions and do not apply for any reduction in the fine as they did in 2008 following the Roper Lane Spillage in Queensbury.”

Graham Fawthrop, of Thornton, Bradford, who formed campaign group Smelly Wagons last year, said: “Residents of Queensbury and the surrounding districts have been complaining frequently, especially over the last few years, about the stench from this facility and the stench over our roads from the wagons.

“Smellywagons.co.uk and its supporters welcomes the courts highlighting our justified complaints.”

A spokesman for The Leo Group said the skips had been inadvertently left temporarily uncovered.

He said: “This was a matter of simple human error and not a deliberate action.

“However, as the company is liable for the actions of its employees, we pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity so as not to waste any court time and money.

“It was an unfortunate incident and one that had not occurred before nor been repeated since.

“As another safeguard, and following our successful planning application, a new, state-of-the-art building will be constructed to replace the existing facility.

“The new building will allow vehicles to be driven in and be unloaded with the doors closed.”

Mark Thompson, Calderdale Council’s head of housing and environment, said: “The Council is committed to enforcing these regulations and protecting the people of Calderdale from the effects of pollution.”