Man stung 160 times after wasps invade his home

Andrew Powell says he is "lucky to be alive" after being stung 160 times

A man was stung 160 times by wasps after the insects were disturbed and invaded his home.

Andrew Powell, 57, said he hasn't been able to sleep due to the pain since the attack on Sunday which left him needing hospital treatment.

The festival organiser from Brecon said the sky "turned brown" with the wasps after a local farmer's combine harvester disturbed a nest in a field.

"I stumbled about the front of the house and into the shower, but they followed me in, and stung me through my clothes in the shower," Mr Powell said.

"The bathroom was full of them," he added.

Mr Powell said he was stung 15 times to the back of his head, but managed to avoid getting stung in his face.

"I was running fast," he said.

He said his friend Richard, who lives nearby, drove him straight to the minor injuries unit at Brecon War Memorial Hospital.

"I was dropping in and out of consciousness," he said, adding: "All I could see was a white light and I thought 'here we go'."

He said nurses were "amazing" and administered adrenaline, morphine and co-codamol for the pain.

"If they hadn't, then I'd be dead," he said.

Wasps, unlike bees, do not die after one sting and can alert other wasps if killed

After his initial treatment at Brecon he was transferred to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil later on Sunday evening.

"The doctor there eventually came to see me at about 02:30 in the morning and said to me he believed I'd suffered a couple of stings," he said.

"The doctor was shocked when I told him it was 160 stings."

Andrew Powell ran to his bathroom where the wasps continued their attack on him

Mr Powell, who helps organise the Brecon Beacons Food Festival, said he is recovering at home on the outskirts of the town now.

"I feel really quite weak and tired because I haven't slept since it happened because there's just too much pain," he said.

"The stings have got worse and have turned purple."

He says doctors were surprised to find he had been stung 160 times

After thanking staff, Mr Powell said he is concerned about plans to reduce the operating hours of Brecon's minor injuries unit.

"It's open 24 hours now, but it can be so busy, especially in the summer months with all the people who visit Bannau Brycheiniog, you just never know when you might need it," he said.

Andrew Powell - pictured with wife Gina - says he hasn't been able to sleep because of the pain from the stings

He added: "If it wasn't for that unit in Brecon and those two wonderful nurses on Sunday night, I wouldn't be here now.

"I might be a bit battered now, but I'm going to fight for it."

What should you do if you're stung by a wasp?

Wasps normally only sting if they feel threatened, said Natalie Bungay, technical officer at the British Pest Control Association (BPCA).

"The problem is a wasp in distress emits a pheromone that sends nearby colony members into a defensive, stinging frenzy," said Ms Bungay.

"That's right - scare a wasp and it might call for back-up."

Although it may be easier said than done, NHS advice is not to wave your arms around or swat at wasps but remain calm and move away slowly.

And if you had any other ideas about giving them the slip, wasps will not be fooled by anyone trying to "play dead" said Debugged, a blog by pest control giant Rentokil.

"Do not seek shelter in a body of water, as the wasps will simply wait for you to re-emerge," it advised.

Unlike bees, wasps do not die after one sting.

They can, and will, sting you a few times, said Ms Bungay.

"While being stung by one wasp isn't normally dangerous, 30 or 40 stings could kill you," she said.

If you are stung you should pull out any stings left in the skin and wash the area with soap and water, according to NHS advice.

Doctors recommend applying ice or a cold flannel to the site for 10 minutes and elevating the area to reduce swelling.

You can also take over the counter remedies such as antihistamines and painkillers.