NOTICED a distinct lack of vampires in Poole recently? There’s a good reason – a pungent smell of garlic has been causing a stink in a wide area of the town.

The whiff has been lingering around the area north of Ashley Road, Parkstone, for most of this week and is so prevalent at times people have said it’s as bad as cooking it in their own kitchens.

Brenda Williams, manager of In-Steps shoes, Ashley Road, said she noticed the “really strong” smell of garlic on her way to and from work.

“I thought someone was cooking it,” she said. “My daughter kept asking me for garlic for dinner!

Another Parkstone resident said the pong got “quite unpleasant” at times. He said: “I opened the back door and got a pretty strong smell.

“A little bit of a garlic smell is nice but this was beyond making you hungry.”

Whether the smell gets your appetite going or leaves you feeling queasy, puzzled residents have been scratching their heads – and noses – as to what is generating such a strong scent.

The culprit appears to be one of Poole’s most famous names – Ryvita. Its factory on Old Wareham Road is producing a new range of crispbread – garlic and rosemary flavour!

Jeff Morley, team manager at Poole’s council’s environmental and consumer protection, said the council had established the smell was the result of the new product line.

Ryvita said it produces the new product for half a day every two to three-week period and was working hard to reduce the smell.

A spokesman said: “Ryvita has employed the independent services of Odournet to reduce the external detection of garlic during the part in the manufacturing process which produces an emission.”