Bedbugs force mum to sleep in bath and leave kids scarred from scratching skin
A mum says a bedbug infestation at her home is so bad her children have been left with scars and she has to sleep in the bath.
Tegan Dare claims her family have been plagued by the insects for three years resulting in her children being ravaged by them every night - leading them to scratch until they bleed. The retail worker from Southampton has pleaded with her local council to move house but hasn't been granted one.
She first had problems after moving into the property back in December 2020 and it has continued despite pest control officers carrying out a number of treatments. Now, she has ripped out her wallpaper, soft furnishings and skirting boards in a bid to control the damage.
Tegan told The Sun: "We are sore from head to tail due to so many sleepless nights being eaten by the bedbugs. Our bodies are so scarred from all the bites, I don’t think I will be able to wear a dress ever again."
Tegan's children are ravaged by the insects 'every night' (Solent News & Photo Agency)The single mum said the family's mental and physical health is 'in tatters'. and accused Southampton Council of giving them 'no support'. She added: "I have stayed up night after night killing bedbugs around my children. If it was up to me – I would have the place set on fire."
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Tegan claims the infestation has had an effect on her financially with her electricity bills going 'through the roof' as she needs to wash the family's clothes at hot temperatures to kill the pests.
In response to her claims, a council spokesperson said: "We sympathise with Ms Dare’s situation, and we have offered considerable support and advice over a long period of time to help tackle the issue at her home. While bed bug treatment plans can vary depending on the severity of the infestation, a sustained and consistent approach, which relies on tenant cooperation and keeping to arranged appointments, is generally the most effective."
“Following the two most recent treatments, our pest control team reported a significant improvement in the condition of Ms Dare’s home when they last visited on 3 November 2023 and a further, final, treatment is scheduled for this week."
Bedbugs have been a problem in the UK, with reports suggesting the pesky pests are hiding in "dozens of flats" across Swindon, as families chuck out their mattresses and sofas in an attempt to get rid of the blood-sucking insects.
The pests are on the rise in the UK, with data released by Rentokil last month finding there had been a 65% increase in infestations from 2022 to 2023. They are believed to have spread from Paris, which has seen plagues of the insects being reported in schools, hospitals and cinemas.
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