A MUM has told how her two-year-old has been left covered in bedbug bites after bloodsucking pests took over their home.

Antonia Selby, 28, says her toddler has been “eaten alive” despite repeated attempts by pest controllers to wipe out the horde in Swindon, Wilts.

It follows reports last week of the flesh eating insects being found on the London Underground and a bus in Manchester.

Antonia lives with her partner and their three children, two-month-old Loki, Faye, one and Odin, two, in Swindon.

Of the 12 flats in their three-storey block in the Penhill area, several have infestations of bedbugs.

Antonia said: “We noticed Odin had these red spots of all different sizes which were flat, covered large areas of his body and were itching him.

“I just thought he had some allergy or a skin problem and that maybe it was the washing powder or something, it would soon clear up.

“It didn’t, but one weekend we went away, and my son’s skin cleared up, completely – until we returned home and he was covered again.”

Antonia added: “I turned the sofa upside down and found them.

“The council sent a pest control company who sprayed the room and we had to stay out for five hours. It’s been done twice now but they come back after a couple of days.

“Some neighbours have had worse infestations and even thrown their mattress out with a sign warning people not to take it. Even the council won’t take it if it has bedbugs.”

Tearful Antonia told how if she sits on the sofa, she keeps itching with the thought one of the insects is on her, she likened it to thinking spiders are crawling over her.

She said: “We’re scared we can never get rid of them, and Odin is always scratching. We even bought a steam-cleaner but nothing works.

“I’ve become depressed, stressed and have nightmares of giant bedbugs, it’s horrific, the effect it has on people’s mental health is awful.

“We’ve contacted the housing officer and any time I try we don’t get responses. We just get ignored. We hate this awful home, we just want to leave.”

Elsewhere in the UK bedbugs have been spotted on trains in London and Manchester, sparking fears the country could experience an infestation on a similar scale to that in France.

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France has just played host to a number of British visitors having hosted the Rugby World Cup and Paris Fashion Week, heightening the risk of travellers bringing them back in their luggage.

One in ten French households are believed to have a an infestation.

“In the UK pest control services have reported an increase in the number of calls, with some branding the current breed as “super bed-bugs”.

The insects like to imbed themselves into fabric, skirting boards and soft furnishings.

Evidence of an infestation includes dark spots left on furniture or walls.

Simon Berenyi owns Bristol-based Pale Horse Pest Control.

He said the first signs of bedbugs being present are dark ‘blood’ spots on bedding and a reaction to bites, although not everyone shows a reaction, explaining why some people don’t have bite marks.

Simon said once a home is treated with pesticides, a complete elimination is not guaranteed, and inhabitants need to check every day for signs of more insects. Around 30 per cent of buildings need further visits.

He said: “Multi-occupancy buildings are especially hard to treat because not everyone is as consistent in checking.

“The key to avoiding an epidemic is education. When the issue comes into the public eye it’s

a chance for people to become aware of what to look for. It’s beneficial for us to look at France as it educates us on where we don’t want to be.

“Lots of people still think bedbugs are microscopic and not visible to the naked eye, but the signs and the insects themselves are evident if you look for them.

“The government should be looking to provide a code of conduct, especially when it comes to multi- occupancy buildings. Many councils have stopped funding pest control altogether or cut back, so they’re not always offering people the help and support they need.”

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said: “The welfare of our tenants is incredibly important to us.

“The last time our tenant contacted us was back in July when we arranged for a pest controller to treat her home. She was given the pest controller’s contact details if the problem arose again, but he has not received any further calls.

“We also treated two further properties and have had no further concerns reported to us in the intervening period.

“Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to treat, and, in some cases, it may take several visits from pest controllers to eradicate the problem. Our tenants have been advised of what action they can take to mitigate the risk of an infestation.”