FAMILIES have been lobbing out sofas and mattresses amid fears the French bed bugs are in the West Country.
Blood-sucking insects have infiltrated dozens of flats there — and come back even after being sprayed by pest control.
It heightened fears of a nationwide embedding of Parisian critters after sightings last week on the London Underground and in Manchester.
Antonia Selby, 28, who lives in Swindon, Wilts, with her partner and their three kids, first thought eldest, Odin, two, had an allergy when they saw red spots over his body.
However when they turned the sofa over, they were horrified to see bugs.
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She said: “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.
“We bought a steam-cleaner but nothing works.”
The French bugs are thought to have entered Britain via the Eurostar after reports emerged last month.
A Swindon Council spokesman said: “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.”
