The 'biblical' mystery fly infestation plaguing a seaside community
BBCPeople in a seaside community plagued by flies say the problem is so bad they can't make food and have to keep their windows shut, even during the hot weather.
"I like cooking and baking but I've had to stop it," said Gill Phillips. "As soon as I get any food out the flies swarm."
Shops surrounding affected areas in Llanelli have run out of fly spray with locals saying they believe the infestation is linked to a nearby metal recycling plant.
Carmarthenshire Council and Wales' environmental watchdog are investigating but Natural Resources Wales said it doesn't think the AMG Resources plant is "currently contributing to the reported increase in flies".
The plant says it's not the source of the flies and has pest control measures in place.
The fly problem was first reported in 2018 but residents claim pest control measures haven't worked and the flies return in hot weather, particularly during the current heatwaves.
More than 800 residents are now part of a local "fly infestation" Facebook group, with people reporting issues in the Seaside, Morfa and Tyisha areas of the south-west Wales town.
"They're landing on me as I try to eat food, they land on my food which puts me off," added Gill, 69.
"I used to make Sunday dinner every week... but when you're trying to make food, the flies are there. It stops me cooking. Half the time you've got to buy takeaway meals and then you've got to try and put them on the plate while the flies are landing on them.
"You just can't get rid of them. They are everywhere. A lot of people don't want to live around here anymore."
The grandmother-of-nine had a triple heart bypass a few years ago and has suffered with poor health this summer, but like other residents she says she kept her doors and windows closed in this year's heatwaves.
She has now spent a £30 electronic fly trap from Amazon and fly nets for her doors, so that her dog Glyn can stay cool.
"Why should we have to go out and pay for all this stuff?," added Gill, who lives in one of the worst-affected streets in Llanelli.
"I called environmental health, they came out and took some photos but didn't give us anything."
Around the corner from Gill, Cheryl Williams said the clubhouse she runs has got through eight 2ft-long sticky fly traps in 24 hours.
"Last week we were having to put beer mats over our coffee cups to keep the flies out," said Cheryl, who runs the Seaside Sports and Social Club.
"You can't sit down to eat without flies landing on your plate."
Publican Garry Rees-Andrews has a member of staff at The New Cornish Arms on "fly-watch" throughout their shift to make sure the seating areas, kitchen and toilets are fly-free.
"I've just bought an air conditioning unit because we can't open the doors in the kitchen because of the flies and the heat in there is incredible," he said.
"It's getting to biblical proportions now, it's like the plague. We're all trying so hard. It's so frustrating."
Garry now starts work at 7am every day to disinfect floors, surfaces and chairs.
"I'd have more patience if it was just this year, but it keeps going on," he said. "We have to do something."
Adam Holding has fly traps around The Platform - his cafe and cookery school in the town - and he admitted they are "not a good image but it's helping".
"We're trying to do what we can to mitigate these flies, it is quite a big pest," he said.
"The amount of flies we've got on these traps is unreal."
"We've got to keep our doors closed, the fly nets are up so it doesn't look like we're open most of the time which is a bit of an issue."
Some residents and business owners are frustrated at what they feel is a lack of action.
"The council know but they never address it," added Garry, while dealing with the lunchtime rush at The New Cornish Arms.
"They knew it was happening last year and then all of the rest of the year, when it was cool, they didn't do anything and now the flies are back.
"I pay my business rates, which aren't cheap. I pay my council tax, which isn't cheap, and you expect a service."
Residents have also suggested the source of the flies could be the area's drains, which they claim aren't cleaned as regularly as they used to be.
Carmarthenshire council said there was no evidence to suggest drains could be the cause, and that its highway drain cleaning programme "remains on schedule".
It said it's looked in to complaints "whenever they have been received" and that it and NRW are "investigating the issue as a priority".
"We understand the concerns raised by residents and businesses in parts of Llanelli regarding increased fly activity and appreciate the frustration this is causing," said councillor Aled Vaughan Owen of Carmarthenshire council.
"We would encourage anyone experiencing issues with increased fly activity in the area to report them to us, as this information helps officers monitor the situation and target investigation activity.
"Investigations remain ongoing and it is important that any conclusions are evidence-based. However, residents can be reassured that significant officer time and resources are being devoted to this issue."
