Mother's 'cockroach hell' flat

The incubation period for cockroaches is five months

A young mother says she and her two children have been driven from their council flat by a cockroach infestation.

Shelley Herbert, 19, from Hartcliffe in Bristol, has moved in with her mother in nearby Knowle.

Pest control officers are tackling the bug invasion but Ms Herbert is pressing for Bristol City Council to find her a new home.

She said she was horrified when one of the insects crawled over her baby daughter.

I would be happy to stay here once the bugs have gone

Shelley Herbert

"The council has put down insecticide but they're still coming out of the woodwork.

"It's disgusting really, I am forever bleaching down surfaces in the kitchen.

"You shouldn't have to prepare food with cockroaches around.

"The council came this morning and emptied the traps and found at least 10 in the kitchen and they've been finding eggs everywhere."

Ms Herbert, who has two daughters both under three years old, said she was horrified recently to see a cockroach crawling over the legs of the six-week-old girl.

Ms Herbert's mother Carol told BBC Radio Bristol: "I think it's disgusting that people have to live in these conditions, especially with babies.

'Full survey'

"It's getting her down and making her feel ill therefore she's passing it on to the children and it's making them upset too.

"Why are the council treating this place when they should get to the root of what's causing it?"

Richard Bevan, pest control services manager at Bristol City Council, said: "We have nine flats that are affected within Shelley's block and we are treating all of them.

"We are getting on top of the problem and we are going to carry out a full survey, so all 60 flats will be inspected and surveyed.

"The incubation period of these insects is up to five months so treatment could need to go on for several months."

"We are very lucky actually. As far as cockroaches are concerned we do not have a major problem with them in Bristol."

Ms Herbert said: "I would be happy to stay here once the bugs have gone but I have been told by pest control that once these ones have laid eggs they could reappear in about six months' time."