MP Lesley Laird has made it plain to SEPA's chief that the Mossmorran flaring issue has reached a key stage.

Ms Laird, the MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, was completely taken aback by the intensity of the flaring that occurred after the Easter weekend and the effect it had on the communities of Lochgelly and Cowdenbeath and she has made her feelings known to the SEPA chief.

Said the MP: “I spoke to Terry A’Hearn, CEO at SEPA, and emphasised to him the size and scale of the issues as a result of recent prolonged flaring, vibration, light and noise at Mossmorran.

"This is no longer just a reputational issue for the companies concerned but is, I believe, a very serious reputational issue for SEPA and HSE.

“This latest event was one of the fiercest episodes of flaring the community has witnessed, a fact reflected in the high volume of complaints to SEPA and the number of complaints raised by the community to my office, to the Mossmorran Action Group and no doubt other elected representatives."

She added: “The companies were issued with a final written warning last year.

"Other investigations are ongoing and the BAT report is due this week. But there are too many open issues and no satisfactory conclusion for the communities surrounding this plant.

"The question the community wants answered in the short term is what decisive action are the regulatory authorities going to take now?

“The call this week for a full independent enquiry comes out of the sheer frustration in the community with regards to their ongoing safety and health concerns simply not being seen to be adequately addressed.

“SEPA’s investigation process is far too long, and in the eyes of the public has not delivered an outcome that addresses the very real concerns."