GAS firm Transco was bombarded with more than 500 calls from worried Southampton residents after a mystery smell brought disruption to parts of the city.

But experts are still no closer to pinpointing the origin of the nasty niff which smelt like a gas leak and caused the city's crown court to be evacuated on Thursday morning.

The court remained closed for most of the day, with civil cases transferred to the neighbouring magistrates' court while criminal proceedings were adjourned for the day.

Police and fire services were put on alert but were stood down when a team of 50 engineers from Transco were drafted in to try to find what was causing the pong.

But in spite of an all-day probe, experts could not pinpoint what had caused the smell, which could be detected in Shirley, Millbrook and the docks. Environmental health bosses at the city council also launched an investigation but admitted that the pong's origins could remain a mystery.

They blamed unusual weather conditions, trapping the smell over the city.

Yesterday the smell was still lingering around Southamp-ton Central railway station and the Civic Centre.

Transco spokesman Geoff Aspell said: "The smell was nothing to do with us. We still have engineers checking because the smell could mask any genuine gas leaks which are in the city."