Fed-up residents say they have been left “trapped” in their own homes after swarms of flies invaded their village.
Residents of Leicester Park East say the insects have been making their lives hell for the past few years – but this summer has been the worst yet.
They are too scared to open their windows for fear of being inundated by thousands of insects, which also crawl over them while they sleep, while families are unable to let their children play outdoors and barbecues and parties have been moved indoors.
Frustrated residents blame a nearby recycling center for the problem, along with high temperatures and the introduction of fortnightly garbage collections.
They say the problem is making their lives miserable, with dozens of dead insects collected in fly traps hanging from the ceiling.
Mum-of-two Gemma Clarke, 36, has lived on Maple Avenue for nine years and said her children were left in tears and had their summer holidays “ruined”.
Gemma, who works part-time at a special needs school, said: “I’m constantly swatting flies. I’m terrified of cooking and we can’t leave doors or windows open.
‘The children can’t play, we can’t sit in the garden. We didn’t have a children’s pool this year.
‘Their summer is ruined. The kids hate it. They end up crying.
‘You can’t socialize with your friends. You can’t even have a barbecue. We ended up having an indoor barbecue this summer. It’s just awful.
She added: “We have heard that the Environment Agency are carrying out spot checks at the recycling centre but they have found it is not in breach.
‘But we are still having the problem and it is occurring again, so what should we do? We are still having this problem.
“It was absolutely horrific. We are a long way from the scene but the impact around Leicester Forest East is horrendous.
‘Our summer holidays are ruined and children are forced to play miles from home. We can’t have picnics here. We can’t sit in our own park.
‘There are cafes where you can’t sit, we can’t use our chippy. Businesses are losing income because of this.
‘Nine properties are for sale this year – and that’s just because of flies.’
Another local, Derek Johnson, 61, added: “This is the worst situation we’ve ever had. I don’t know how they can expect us to live like this.
‘I buy a newspaper every day, but I end up using it as a protective device and sitting inside to read it.
‘It’s like being in a real-life, but miniature, version of The Birds. It’s gotten to the point where I can’t wait for summer to be over.’
Alison Smith, 61, a grandmother of two, says she is considering moving home because of the infestation.
She added: ‘The problem started a few years ago but every summer it gets worse.
‘The recycling place used to only accept cardboard, but then they started accepting wet waste and the flies started appearing – and every year there are more of them.
‘We’ve reached the point where we can’t even use our own gardens or cook in our own kitchens.
‘They are everywhere. If you have a cup of tea outside, you have to share it with two or three flies.
‘We have to sit down to dinner with these two fly trap spinner strips on either side of us. There’s a fly swatter in almost every room.
‘If you get the chance to go out for a day, you will do just that to escape the flies. We shouldn’t have to do that.’
Recycling firm Casepak told the BBC the company had “always strived to be a responsible operator and a good neighbour”.
They added: ‘We are aware of wider environmental issues in the Leicester Forest East area, including increased fly activity reported by residents.
‘At Casepak, we carry out extensive pest control work.
‘Our pest control program is managed and executed by an in-house environmental technician and our plan is reviewed annually by an external expert and approved by EA.
‘As a responsible operator, Casepak is open to facilitating engagement with local residents to address any concerns they raise with us or other companies on the Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate and to try to minimise any impact of our work to the lowest level possible.’
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Throughout the summer months, and although we continue to receive reports of flies in the area, we aim to visit Casepak on a weekly basis to ensure the company is complying with its licence.
‘These are physical inspections of the waste and facilities, and visits may be announced or unannounced.
‘If Casepak is found to have violated its license, steps will be taken to bring it back into compliance.’
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