Britain's most haunted village gets plague of flies

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Britain's most haunted village invaded by mysterious flies
The parish council of Britain's most haunted village is holding an emergency meeting this week after it was invaded by millions of flies.
20 Oct 2010

The village of Pluckley in Kent - which is known as the UK's most haunted village with 14 'confirmed' ghosts - has witnessed swarms of the tiny pests in the past few days. The parish council is holding an emergency meeting this week to discuss what they can do to get rid of the pests - which are swarming into people's homes and getting in car windows as they drive through the village.

A spokesman for Ashford Borough Council - which oversees pest control in the area - said the source of the flies was 'unknown'. He said: "We have received complaints from residents and we have visited the area. But so far we do not have any conclusive evidence of the source." Sam Archer, who works at the village Post Office said: "We have run out of fly spray. The invasion started last week and it's getting worse - the whole village is talking about it - nobody knows where they came from and when they are going. There are literally millions of them and they all seem to be descending on Pluckley."

Local Janet Westrope, one of the 1,050 people who live in the village, said she was catching more than 300 flies a day - just in her own home. She said: "They have been everywhere in the house. I've used two cans of bug spray in less than a week and I've switched to fly paper and am catching 40 flies an hour."

Emma Douglas, a store assistant in the village shop, said villagers are worried about the infestation. The 17-year-old said: "We have had loads of the people - almost the whole village - coming in and asking what they can do to get rid of the flies. They are everywhere and nobody is left unaffected. We normally get a few flies around at this time of year, but this is different - something funny is going on." Local Steve Hunt, 43, said: "They are getting everywhere, even when you are driving along through the village you are getting hit by dozens of them going splat on the windscreen. If you open your windows they just swarm in and distract you as you drive - they are a total nightmare."

Among the 14 ghosts believed to haunt the village are the ghost of highwayman, a gypsy woman who was burned in her sleep, the hanging body of a schoolmaster, a phantom coach and horses and the Red Lady. The village was also used to film the popular ITV drama starring David Jason, the Darling Buds of May.

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WE'VE RUN OUT OF FLY SPRAY!