As an opportunity to go behind the scenes at a little understood location, it was not to be sniffed at.

There was a good turn-out to a guided tour of the Meary Veg Sewage treatment works in Santon, organised - somewhat bizarrely - as part of the Year of Our Island initiative.

Two free tours of the plant were hosted last Friday by Manx Utilities.

The sewage treatment works processes sewage from about two thirds of the island’s population.

Sewage from the south and as far north as Onchan is pumped to Meary Veg where it passes through a multi-stage process to ensure the final effluent discharged into our coastal waters has minimal impact on the environment.

Those on the tour were promised a chance to enjoy the glorious views and ’fresh sea air’.