Residents in a Powys village are voicing their disgust after flies have infested their homes - and say it has happened since the opening of a controversial new recycling centre.

The centre opened earlier this month in Abermule, having faced years of opposition from local residents, who expressed concerns over how it would affect day to day life.

Now local resident Nigel Williams has said the new centre has not had an “auspicious start”, with swarms of flies inside his home every day.

“Over the last fortnight, we have been inundated with flies and I just don’t mean our house, I mean every house in Abermule,” said Mr Williams.

“When you meet people, they are saying ‘oh my god I have never seen so many flies its awful’. All the surfaces in the house are covered in them. Today is not so bad - I’ve only had to swat about 20 today.”

County Times: Mr Williams and other residents have been having to regularly put up fly paper since the centre openedMr Williams and other residents have been having to regularly put up fly paper since the centre opened (Image: Nigel Williams)

Mr Williams was one of the residents who had concerns about the new facility and has been unimpressed since it opened with issues around noise, and says on one occasion bottles were spilled across the road from an overflowing recycling lorry.

“We were against it because we thought it was too close to the village and we were assured that there wouldn’t be any smell, there wouldn’t be any noise. There would be no rats, no flies, nothing,” said Mr Williams.

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“Well, they’ve opened it and in a fortnight we have flies. Yesterday I made a cup of tea, someone rang me, I turned back and there were five flies in my tea. I had to just tip it away. You now have to put covers over your food when you are preparing it.

“Every time we use a work surface now we have to use a disinfectant spray because you don’t know what these flies are bringing in. It’s not just the area near the centre, it’s the whole village, every estate in the village is having the same issue.

“We always get a certain amount of flies but within a week they are gone but this has been really bad. We have been here 38 years and we have never, ever had this situation.”

County Times: The plans for the recycling centre have been the cause of controversy locallyThe plans for the recycling centre have been the cause of controversy locally

Other residents in the village have been voicing their concerns over social media.

One said: “We are putting up new fly papers round the house daily and they are full when we go to bed. We also have those electric fly swats and seriously considering entering Wimbledon now as we are that good from fly swatting.”

Another said they “had to wash all the cupboards down from swatting them”.

Another added the problem was “constant, it's a real problem even with windows shut. I dread to think what it will be like when the shed tip if full of rubbish.”

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One resident noted “the amount of cleaning products we're going through trying to keep our food preparation area hygienic is crazy. Multiple fly papers in every room changed every other day.”

A resident who recently moved to the area said: “I looked up in the sky and there were swarms and they are flying all over the house. Just bought the place and regretting it big time.”  

A spokesperson for Powys County Council said: "Powys County Council’s Environmental Protection Department can confirm that they have received reports of flies from residents of the Abermule area. 

"The complaint will be investigated in conjunction with Natural Resources Wales."