Villagers fighting fly invasion

Residents are worried the flies are putting their health at risk

Residents in a Wiltshire valley are calling for action to deal with an infestation of flies.

Villagers in Collingbourne Ducis and Collingbourne Kingston said they had been invaded by hundreds of the insects for the fourth year running.

A Kennet District Council spokesman said efforts were being made to tackle the problem.

The probable cause is said to be a combination of the recent heatwave and muck-spreading at local farms.

There's always a fear that it might bring some unwanted disease into the house Tony Still, resident

But homeowners fear the flies are putting their health at risk and want more to be done to get rid of them.

Resident Tony Still said: "If you kill a fly, squash a bit of its body on the surface, it's got to be cleaned.

"You don't know where it's been before, what it sat on before you killed it and there's always a fear that it might bring some unwanted disease into the house."

'Advice given'

Two years ago, the council called in agricultural fly control experts from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Bristol University, when an infestation led to some residents deserting their homes.

Environment health officer Robert Draper said as much as possible was being done to deal with the latest problem

"I think we've been very pro-active," he said.

"We've been working with the local farmers and we've been giving residents as much advice as we possibly can."