Leamington Spa Fly Infestation Traps 10,000 Residents, Spurs Health Concerns

Residents of Leamington Spa in Warwickshire are enduring a severe and worsening fly infestation each summer, which has been described as 'nightmarish' and 'absolute hell,' with swarms invading homes, crawling into mouths, and reportedly choking babies in cots. The problem, affecting around 10,000 people, has forced some families to sell their homes and flee the area due to the unbearable infestation and a persistent rancid, raw sewage-like odor. Parents have resorted to draping nets over their children's cots and using fly strips and zappers inside their homes, while locals avoid their gardens entirely. The crisis was raised in Parliament by Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western, who labeled it a public health risk. Residents blame a nearby recycling plant operated by Amcor (formerly Berry Circular Polymers), which is regulated by the Environment Agency, though the agency reports only minor breaches and has not established a direct causal link to the fly outbreak. Long-term residents like foster mother Maureen Kerr note the issue began after the plant's opening about three years ago and has progressively worsened since.