Residents of a host of suburbs of Bristol are threatening to withhold their council tax unless something is finally done to sort out their living nightmare of huge fly infestations.
The warm, muggy weather of the past few days has led to an explosion in the fly population once again in Avonmouth.
And this year, locals said it is the worst it’s ever been, with people living as far away as Shirehampton, Lawrence Weston and Hallen complaining that their lives are currently a misery.
People have inundated Bristol Live with pictures showing the extent of the problem - from fly strips that are completely covered in dead flies within hours of being put up, to flies in cups of tea, and images of fly catchers full of hundreds of dead flies, to even a video of flies that had got into a slow cooker cooking that evening’s meal.
The residents are once again logging complaints with Bristol City Council, but many said they have little faith in the council, the environmental health team or their elected representatives to sort out the problem.
Flies have been a huge issue every summer since at least 2014, and many point the finger at the various waste treatment facilities in Avonmouth.
An unusually warm snap in February brought the , but it has generally been a summer phenomenon and the subject of huge controversy in previous years.
They also said that at least one train full of waste trundles through Avonmouth every night bringing more rubbish and more flies.
Avonmouth
“Living with flies this is beyond a joke now,” said Kerri Reed, who said she has lived in Avonmouth for 46 years and this summer’s sudden infestation is the worst ever.
“There are hundreds in the home no matter what you do. I can’t believe we have to live like this, it’s totally unacceptable.
“Last year the council said there wasn’t a problem, well course there isn’t, because they aren’t living like it.
"Avonmouth is my home and has been for the past 46 years. Never ever have I seen anything like this,” she added.
Liesl Oliver said normal life in Avonmouth and Shirehampton has currently stopped.
“Basically we can not live a normal day-to-day life with these flies!” she said.
Normal life 'has stopped'
“You try and cook? They are there. Try and relax on an evening, they are landing on you constantly. Try and sleep? They are there.
“If I’m not working, my days off are cleaning, bleaching everything, don’t know why I do this though because you could have the cleanest of houses and you’re still affected by them.
“They make you feel dirty,” she added.
Heather Tanton Duncan was one of many residents to say that mealtimes were virtually impossible. “It’s horrendous,” she said.
“As residents we cannot have our doors or windows open for fear of being invaded by the flies. Mealtimes are worse, trying to cook and serve food,” she added.
“I have to keep the windows and doors shut in the warm weather to stop them coming in,” agreed Emma Jane Rich-Payne. “I have to hang that ghastly fly paper in my house and it’s an unbearable living situation,” she added.
Alison Price said it was so bad she was considering selling up and moving. “Who would want to buy my house though in this situation, and why should I be forced out of my home?” she said.
“Are the people responsible going to pay all my legal fees?”
Many residents told Bristol Live they were formulating a council tax boycott in protest at the lack of enforcement action on a number of different premises in Avonmouth.
Shirehampton
Lucy O’Brien said she lives in Shirehampton, and the problem is just as bad there.
“It’s the same - as soon as windows or doors are open, they’re in,” she said.
“They land on you, and food, on kitchen sides - it’s an absolute nightmare,” added Lucy, who said residents were fed up of complaining to the city council and the issue not being sorted.
“It’s just been really bad. Everyone in Avonmouth and Shirehampton have had enough. There’s only so many emails and complaints you can write,” she said.
Liv Turner said the problem was just as bad in Shirehampton.
“Not only do these flies invade our homes but also our cars,” she said. “I cannot open my windows or doors. If I open my front or back door then within ten seconds, ten or 20 flies are in the house.
“They aren’t afraid to dive-bomb you, land on your food as you are eating or cooking. It’s unhygienic and disgusting. The problem seems to be worsening and nobody seems to be doing anything about it,” she added.
Lawrence Weston
Claire Louise Maloney told Bristol Live she lives in Lawrence Weston, and the problem has spread to there. She described it as ‘a living nightmare’.
“It's absolutely disgusting, a complete joke, and no one seems to listen or take it seriously,” added Amy Matthews.
“Residents are left out of pocket trying to manage the situation themselves.
“Preparing, cooking and eating food with the swarm of flies that are invading homes is a health hazard and we are fed up of being ignored.
“It’s not just Avonmouth - I live in Lawrence Weston and i know it’s bad in all the surrounding areas,” she added.
Katie Rice said she works in a local school and described the situation there as ‘horrendous’.
She said she moved at the beginning of the year from Avonmouth to Lawrence Weston with the hope of moving away from the annual summer problem, and is disgusted to find it’s just as bad in Lawrence Weston too.
“I thought I'd be getting away from the flies and the stench, but no, it’s just as bad here,” she said.
“It’s vile how we have to live like this, and who knows what we must be breathing in.
Complaints have been flooding in to Bristol City Council once again. An early email response from a council officer to residents confirmed that council investigators are looking at the possible source.
“We are aware of a number of complaints of flies and have been investigating potential sources and monitoring fly numbers year on year across the city,” said Dylan Davies.
“There is unlikely to be one particular source but these will include a combination of domestic and commercial waste and facilities where these are processed together with the natural habitat and the flies’ ability to reproduce quickly in favourable conditions such as during warm and wet conditions.
“We have worked with Bristol Waste to consider domestic bins and continue to work with the Environment Agency to investigate and inspect waste facilities in the area to ensure that fly populations are suitably controlled,” he added.
Mr Davies also urged people to send in close-up pictures of flies so they could be identified and traced.
“We continue to be vigilant in relation to any potential contributory source and it is helpful if residents provide information so that specific concerns can be investigated further where appropriate,” he said.
“It is useful if the particular fly causing issues are identified as certain fly types are associated with particular sources, so this aids investigation,” he added.
- Bristol Live has approached Bristol City Council and Bristol North West MP Darren Jones for a formal response.
