‘My neighbour noticed unusual sound in loft – now I’ve had to flee my house’

A man has had to leave his flat after it became infested with thousands of wasps.

Craig McDonald said the insects have repeatedly stung him, his two dogs, and his cat in his top-floor home.

The 38-year-old said the trouble began two weeks ago when he noticed wasps in his bedroom.

But the problem has become so bad, he can no longer enter the room. He has temporarily gone to stay with his mum and fears he may have to flee the property altogether until the infestation clears.

The tenant says his landlord, Oak Tree Housing Association, has not dealt with the wasp nest in the roof space or removed the insects.

Craig, from Greenock, Scotland, said: ‘This is having a serious impact on my health. I am worried about my dogs and my cat.

‘I have not had a decent sleep in 10 days. I can’t get to my bed. We are getting stung all the time. It is nasty.

‘I had contacted Oak Tree, and they told me it couldn’t be a wasp’s nest because of the time of year.

‘Then they sent in pest control. The guy was spraying something onto the roof.

‘But then he went and put on all his protective gear, while I was standing in a pair of trousers, and asked me to help plug the gaps.

‘It made no difference, and the nest is still there. I need rid of it.

‘I asked environmental health to come to my flat, but they said I had to contact Oak Tree.’

The swarm of wasps took over Craig’s bedroom after coming in through cracks in the ceiling.

He said the alarm was raised after a neighbor noticed an unusual sound coming from the loft.

He continued: ‘My neighbor was concerned about something in the loft.

‘We spoke to Oak Tree but they said it was more likely to be rare bats, so leave them alone.

‘Then I ended up with wasps in my bedroom.’

Craig said that Oak Tree had contacted him to send pest control to his home again, but he warned them he would not be in, as he had been forced to leave for a period.

He added: ‘I needed a break, so I went to my mum’s, and I told Oak Tree this.

‘I told them to send someone the day after, and I would arrange to be in.

‘They need to do something. I cannot live in here. It is a health hazard.

‘I am in agony from the stings. It is horrendous. I am worried about my pets. I am trying to protect them because they don’t know what is happening to them.’

In response, Oak Tree Housing said: ‘We are aware of the issue raised by Mr McDonald and are dealing with him directly with a view to resolving the matter as quickly as possible.

‘As this concerns an individual tenant and his home, it would not be appropriate for us to comment further on the details of the case.’