PENSIONER Sheila Jones has hit out at Bournemouth council for failing to protect the public from the notorious Blandford fly.

Mrs Jones suffered a swollen leg and severe pain after being bitten in her garden.

But when she contacted Bournemouth council to let them know about the incident, she was told the council had decided against contributing to the treatment of breeding grounds on the River Stour.

"The health of the general public is being disregarded because of money, and that is not right," said Mrs Jones, who lives in Ryecroft Avenue, Bear Cross.

"The more my leg swelled up and the more it throbbed, the more annoyed I became about it."

Mrs Jones, 62, said she felt a pain in her right leg and saw blood running down her leg on Thursday last week.

During the following days the effects of the bite became worse, she added.

"I went to see my doctor and he said it was a Blandford fly bite," she said. "If the council had sprayed down by the river I would have accepted it as one of those things but I was furious when I found out they hadn't bothered."

A spokeswoman for Bourne-mouth council said the risk of Blandford fly bites was assessed every year, based on the number of incidents reported. She said it was not a financial decision.

Bournemouth council then decides whether to contribute to treatment, carried out jointly by numerous local authorities affected by the Blandford fly.

"There were only two reported instances last year so we are not contributing this year," she added. "In the past we have contributed up to £4,000 per year and it will be assessed each year."

Blandford fly facts

With a liking for human blood before and after mating, it is the female of the species that bite and they do so because the protein from our blood helps their ovum to develop.

The fly has mandibles that rip open the skin before injecting a saliva which acts as an anti-clotting agent to keep the blood flowing.

For many people the bites are a minor irritation but it's when they become infected that the associated problems become more severe.

Blandford Flies fly close to the ground - thus most victims are bitten on the legs and the River Stour in the Blandford area has been heavily infested in the past.

The advice to locals to avoid being bitten is to wear long sleeves and trousers and avoid sitting by the river in shorts and T-shirts. The biting season is during April and May.

First published: May 25