Fly infestation plagues village

The village shop has had to stop selling fresh produce

An infestation of flies has been plaguing a village in Kent and has forced businesses to close.

The insects began to appear in Benenden last month but in the last week the numbers have soared.

The cause has been put down to the stockpiling of poultry manure at two farms nearby.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has told villagers it is taking action to make sure the problem does not happen again.

We were just so concerned it was unhygienic and may cause problems with people's health Norman Pitt, landlord of The Bull

Two pubs in the village have been affected because of the number of flies.

Norman Pitt, landlord of The Bull at Benenden, said: "We had to close when customers were experiencing such a nasty fly infestation it was attacking their drink, their food, it was crawling all over their bodies as they were sitting in the pub.

"When it got to the kitchen we thought it was a health hazard and we decided on Sunday lunchtime that was it and we shut up shop.

"We were just so concerned it was unhygienic and may cause problems with people's health."

Kitchen closed

Bill Tipples, landlord of the King William pub, is preparing to close. He said: "This is the worst I have known it.

"It has been really bad for about a week and we have been closing in the evening because by the afternoon they becoming terribly drowsy and by the evening just the whole pub is infested with them."

The village store has had to stop selling fresh food like bread and cakes.

And at one residential care home the kitchen had to be closed down and meals brought in from outside.

Residents are planning to hold a public meeting to discuss the issue.

The council has issued advice to people to try and minimise the nuisance.

These include covering compost and manure, clearing drains and gullies and keeping doors and windows shut.