CITIES have their own distinctive smells - all overlaid with a vinaigrette dressing of petrol.
But none can match Torry in Aberdeen where mystery odours have been making life "sheer hell" for the local community on hot days.
Some people blame the United Fish Products processing factory, but not for much longer.
The fish factory is casting its net for noses to sniff out the offending smells. About 15 local "community sniffers" are to be trained to identify scents so the firm can discover which are to blame.
Helge Korsager, UFP managing director, said: "It's about being responsible. We realise there's a problem, but it may not necessarily be from the fish factory.
"There are other emission points and background smells in the city. We need an objective method of measuring the smells, so we can tell where they come from."
Hesaid the 20 local "community sniffers" would be sent on a training course where experts will teach them how to identify different smells.
"At a given time of the day, we'll ask them to go outside and smell the air and write down what they smell.
"Not everyone will be able to do this job. Around 2 to 4-per cent of the population have supersensitive noses. Their ability to smell would be too strong for the research. We hope we can have results by November."
The move was welcomed by Bob Gibb, of Torry Community Council. "It has been sheer hell for the people living here, the main problem is the fish processing work. I estimate that it has affected some 6000 out of the 12,000 people in the 'village'.
"Now they seem to be ready to do something about it. Life is impossible for some people because they cannot open their windows in this weather because of smell, and are refusing to put out their washing because it stinks of fish when they bring it in."
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