A pest control business which operates in Trafford says calls about bed bugs have risen by up to 40 per cent in the space of the last month.

Family firm Pest Control Manchester, which carries out jobs across the city region, including in the borough, has experienced a surge in enquiries about the pests in recent weeks.

Bed bugs have become a concern in recent weeks after reports of them spreading across France with fears there has been more of the harmful insects in the UK.

After seeing the reports, residents and companies have become more vigilant about the problem and have contacted firms such as Pest Control Manchester for help.

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Director Abbie Glover said: “We have seen an increase in the number of reports in the last few weeks from 30 to 40 per cent.

“A lot more companies have been calling up such as hotels to find out about the proper procedures (to deal with bed bugs).

“Bed bugs are one of the worst pests as they are so hard to get rid of and they can multiply with themselves.”

Abbie says that the name of the pest may leads people to assume that they are only found in beds when they can actually “live off any surface”, such as on public transport.

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Business clients have invested in equipment such as detectors to spot the bugs, while it is often more clear with domestic call outs if the pests are present, such as clusters of sores left on people’s bodies.

Concerns about pest problems often hit the headlines with Abbie remembering worries about “super rats” last year.

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As well as dealing with bed bugs, Pest Control Manchester has plenty of other problems to handle day to day.

Abbie says the wasp season has extended longer than usual this year while rat call outs remain a constant.

For more information about the services that the company offers, contact 0161 210 2536 or visit www.pestcontrolmanchester.org.