FEARS FLY PLAGUE HAS RETURNED
RESIDENTS CLAIM PROBLEMS HAVE RESURFACED WITH SUMMER:
A NIGHTMARE fly infestation seems as though it could be returning to Llanelli.
Last summer residents were forced to fork out for cans of fly spray, eat dinner in their cars and keep their windows firmly closed as a disgusting outbreak of flies descended on the town.
What began as just an annoyance soon spiralled out of control with residents calling for fly-killing equipment to be provided to them for free as shops sold out of swatters, sprays and sticky strips.
Natural Resources Wales has been investigating the cause of the issue for many months and it was eventually established that a recycling plant close to the worst affected areas was the root of the problem.
Now, a year later, residents in certain parts of Llanelli have been complaining once again that as the warm weather has started to return, so have the pests.
Sophie Jones, who lives in Seaside, which was one of the worst affected areas last year, said that the flies have come “back in full force” with the return of the hot weather.
She said: “Since the weekend we’ve had a fair few flies. On Saturday I opened the back door to a swarm of flies, there must have been around 20 to 25.
“I came home from work yesterday to find nine blue bottles that I could count, that’s without the few normal flies.
“There is an issue with fly-tipping and people leaving their bin bags out two or three days, at least, before collection.
“I wouldn’t have thought that would help the situation but since this warm weather has come it seems to be the flies are back in full force.”
Amanda Carter, who was campaigning for a solution to the problem last year, said that she’d heard quite a few reports of blue bottle flies in the area.
“We’ve had quite a few over the past fortnight,” she explained.
“We are all dreading the weekend when it’s supposed to get hotter.”
Julia Morgan has been living in the Morfa area since November and has also noticed more flies around her home.
“Within the past week there have been a few flying around the front of my house,” she said.
“I thought that maybe it was my bins or the food waste but I’ve cleared that and they’re still there.
“My living room is in the back of my house and I’ve had the back door open because of the nice weather and they were all coming in. It was full of them.”
Shirley Williams added: “As soon as I open the back door they fly in and I’m on the second floor flat with a little balcony.”
Alison Griffiths explained that there are currently “loads in Swiss Valley”, while Karen Jenkins confirmed that there has been an increase in the Pemberton area, too.
Carmarthenshire Council confirmed that it will be monitoring the situation.
The council’s executive board member for public protection, councillor Philip Hughes, said: “We have received information from a town councillor this morning of an increase in fly activity in an area of Llanelli, however, we have not received any direct complaints from members of the public. We will monitor the situation, in the meantime, if residents have any issues we would ask them to contact us directly.”
Carmarthenshire Council announced last year it had handed over responsibility regarding the source of the infestation to Natural Resources Wales and investigations have been ongoing ever since to try and put a stop to the problem.
Nicholas Jenkins, environmental permit regulation officer for NRW, said: “We’ve been working locally to make sure regulated sites are accepting, storing and processing waste in line with the conditions of their environmental permits.
“We haven’t received any reports of flies in the area but if you do see an increase in the number of flies please report it to our 24-hour incident line on 03000 65 3000.”