Fed-up residents say they have been left ‘trapped’ in their own homes after swarms of thousands of flies invaded their village.
Homeowners in Leicester Forest East, Leics., say the insects have been making their lives hell for the past few years – but this summer has been the worst yet.
People are too scared to open their windows and doors over fears of being inundated by the bugs which also crawl over them while they sleep.
Families have been unable to let their children play outside and barbecues and parties have been moved indoors or elsewhere ‘ruining’ the summer holidays.
One resident even said it was like ‘living in a miniature version of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.’
Frustrated locals blame a nearby recycling center for the problem combined with hot temperatures and a move to fortnightly bin collections.
They say the plague of flies is making their lives miserable, with dozens of dead insects collected in flytraps that hang from their ceilings.
Gemma Clarke, 36, has lived in Maple Avenue for the last nine years and said her children had been left in tears by the issue, which spans a two-mile radius.
Mom-of-two Gemma, who works part-time at a special needs school, said: “I’m swatting flies constantly.”
“I dread cooking a meal and we can’t have any doors or windows open.”
“The children cannot play, we cannot sit in the garden. We’ve not had a paddling pool this year.”
“Their summer has just been ruined. The kids hate it. They just end up crying.”
“You cannot socialize with your friends. You cannot even have a barbecue. We ended up having an indoor barbecue this summer. It’s just awful.”
“We’ve heard the Environment Agency have been carrying spot checks at the recycling center but they’ve found they are not in breach.”
“But we’re still getting the issue and its reoccurring so what are we meant to do? We’re sill getting this problem.”
“It’s been absolutely horrendous. We’re quite far away from the site but the impact around Leicester Forest East is horrendous.”
“Nine properties are up for sale this year – and that’s just because of the flies.”
“Nothing ever changes. They mention improvement notices but it just feels like we’re being fobbed off like its not a big problem.”
“We’re not being listened to at all. We can’t have barbecues in our garden, you can’t eat outside, you can’t eat inside. If you open the window your inundated.”
“They are landing on the kids, they can’t play in their paddling pool, it all sounds like moany little bits – but it all adds up.”
“Our summer holidays are ruined and the kids are forced to play miles from home. We can’t picnic up here. We can’t sit in our own park.”
“There’s cafes you can’t sit in, we can’t use our chippy. Businesses are losing income because of it.”
“We would consider moving but we have family here.”
“We have bought so many fly products and none seem to work.”
“We have these candles burning all at once, but they are overpowering and makes the kids cough. You have to carry them around the rooms.”
“The tapes are disgusting as they are up for a day and you’re changing them. We’ve bought fly screens but they don’t really work. Nothing really solves it.”
Another local Derek Johnson, 61, added: “This is the worst it’s ever been. I don’t know how they can expect us to live like this.”
“I buy a newspaper every day but end up using it as a swatting device and sitting indoors to read it instead.”
“It’s like being in a real-life, but miniature version, of The Birds. It’s got the point where I can’t wait for summer to be over.”
Gran-of-two Alison Smith, 61, said says she is considering moving house as a result of the infestation.
She added: “The problem started a few years ago but each summer the issue gets worse and worse.”
“The recycling place used to just take cardboard but then they started taking wet waste and then the flies began coming – and each year there’s more of them.”
“We’ve got to the point where we can’t even use our own gardens or cook in our own kitchens.”
“They are just everywhere. If you have a cup of tea outside you have to share it with two or three flies.”
“Just yesterday we were going to have a picnic and pizzas in the garden with the grandkids but I ended up going to my daughter’s to prepare the food and we ate indoors.”
“We’ve had to have indoor barbecues this summer too. It’s got to the point where I want to move house after 27 years.”
“I like to bake too but I haven’t this year because you just don’t know what the food surfaces are like.”
“We have to sit eating dinner with these two fly trap spinner strips either side of us. There’s a swatter in almost every room.”
“But I don’t know how far I would have to move to escape the problem. We like it here, but we’ve heard reports of this happening within a two mile radius now.”
“We have to have the blinds down in the bedroom with the windows slightly open which has been horrendous with the heat.”
“If you’ve got the chance to get out for the day, you’ll do just that to escape the flies. We should not have to do that.”
Recycling company Casepak told the BBC the company “always strived to be a responsible operator and a good neighbor”.
They added: “We are aware of wider environmental issues within the Leicester Forest East area, including the increased fly activity reported by residents.”
“At Casepak, we undertake extensive work around pest management.”
“Our pest control program is managed and delivered by an internal environmental technician and our plan is reviewed every year by an external specialist and approved by the EA.”
“As a responsible operator, Casepak is open to facilitating engagement with local residents to address any concerns that they raise with us or fellow businesses on the Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate and attempt to minimize any impact of our work to the lowest level possible.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “During the summer months, and while we continue to receive reports of flies in the area, our aim is to visit Casepak weekly to ensure the company is complying with its permit.”
“These are physical inspections of the waste and the premises, and the visits may be announced or unannounced.”
“If Casepak is found to be in breach of its permit, actions will be taken in order to bring them back into compliance.”
