I have managed to check the server logs and the issue appears to be that because the sitemap is too large, the server cannot process it within the time set.
Error Code:Wed Mar 26 21:16:38.360966 2025] [lsapi:error] [pid 78101:tid 78101] [client 94.15.113.71:52918] [host simplywebsites.uk] Error on sending request(GET /page-sitemap.xml HTTP/1.1); uri(/index.php?sitemap=page&sitemap_n=) content-length(0): ReceiveAckHdr: timeout 300 is exceeded
I resolved this by splitting the sitemap into smaller sitemaps and that has resolved it.
A note if anyone else has similar issues and resolves it this way is that one you split the sitemaps up into smaller chunks it takes some time for them to generate and for google search console to read them. I split 500 pages into 10 sitemaps and it took around 45 minutes for all of them to generate and be read by google.
Update – I have found a plugin which styles CF7 into a multistep form is causing this issue as when I deactivate it or use a shortcode it works fine.
Thanks
