Village 'terrorised by flies' demands action

Residents say they are "deeply concerned" about the number of flies appearing in their homes each June

Residents say they are being "terrorised" by thousands of flies, which are disrupting their daily lives and causing health worries.

People living in Aycliffe Village, near Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, have urged the Environment Agency (EA) to take action to bring the situation under control.

Mark Appleby, who has blamed a nearby landfill, said he had 64 flies stuck to fly paper at his home a month ago, and he was "deeply concerned" because the issue was happening each June.

Aycliffe Quarry Landfill Site, which is managed by Ashcourt, said it was "not the source of the issue". The EA said it was investigating.

Mr Appleby, 55, said: "The residents of Aycliffe Village should not be forced to endure such conditions.

"Local residents are being terrorised in their own homes and gardens, with the infestation causing disruption to daily life and posing legitimate health and hygiene concerns."

'Rise in temperature'

Last year, a rotten egg smell monitored by the EA near the landfill was found to exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) "annoyance" levels. At the time, the quarry's owner said there were a number of other potential sources of the odour.

The EA said it was investigating around the areas of Brafferton and Aycliffe to find out where the flies had come from.

"With temperatures climbing, we are seeing more incidents related to hot weather impacts on the environment, including, in some cases, an increase in the number of flies," a spokesperson said.

"We are investigating reports of increased fly activity in Brafferton and Aycliffe and are focusing on potential sources."

The EA said it was working to ensure control measures are put in place to reduce the impact on the local community.

A spokesperson for Ashcourt said: "We do not have a fly infestation at our site.

"We are aware that there were some complaints received by the Environment Agency, but we are not the source of the issue."