A woman has hit out at the local council after her £3,300-a-year beach hut became infested with thousands of millipedes.
Thelma Bartlett, 72, said she faces giving up the cabin she has had at Bournemouth Beach for more than 30 years due to the problem.
She is fuming at local officials who she claims are doing nothing to help her with the creepy crawly infestation.
Ms Bartlett said the millipede nightmare has put her off going to the seaside resort and she is now even considering giving up the hut which she has had since 1996.
She believes the insects’ faeces is a potential health hazard and says the council have just told her to keep sweeping the bugs away.
Thelma Bartlett, 72, pictured outside her cabin on Bournemouth beach
Pictured: Dead millipedes outside Thelma’s beach hut
The block of beach huts where Ms Bartlett rents hers for £3,300-a-year
The problem started in September last year and lasted until the cooler weather arrived.
However, the infestation returned in early August and has continued to spread across the hut.
Ms Bartlett said: ‘It makes my hair stand on end. Every time I go to my beach hut I have to take everything out and sweep up thousands of millipedes crawling all over the place.
‘They’re everywhere – in the cupboards, in the sink, on the table, I even found some in my towels.
‘We first had them last year when it was a very humid September and October.. It took about two hours to clear them all up. I reported it to the council but no one even came out to look. They don’t want to know.
‘I spoke to a ranger who told me the council would fill the holes to stop them from getting in. But they just told me to keep sweeping them up and won’t address the cause of the infestation.
The 72-year-old has been treating her beach hut with ant killer
Pictured: Millipedes outside Ms Bartlett’s beach hut
‘I’m paying £275 a month for my beach hut and having to deal with this.. I can’t just go down there for a swim without having to deal with these bloody things everywhere.
‘I don’t like going now because I know I will have to spend 45 minutes clearing up before I can even sit down. I am thinking about giving up the hut because what pleasure do I get going down there anticipating the mess?
‘Individually these millipedes aren’t a major issue, but in such large numbers, it’s overwhelming.
‘Their faeces create a toxic and smelly mess, which we believe poses a health hazard.’
The problem has reportedly affected several other beach huts at the popular beach at Branksome Chine, but Ms Bartlett’s is one of the worst hit.
Richard Herrett, the portfolio holder for destination, leisure and commercial operations at BCP Council, said: ‘We are aware that millipedes can naturally be present and can migrate inside cliffside beach huts at this time of year.
The millipede problem started in September last year and lasted until the cooler weather arrived
Ms Bartlett said the millipede nightmare has put her off going to the seaside resort and she is now even considering giving up the hut which she has had since 1996
Pictured: Dead millipedes outside Ms Bartlett’s beach hut
‘These beach huts are situated beside outdoor spaces, next to natural habitats and have small openings built into them for ventilation, and to prevent damp and mould developing.
‘Our maintenance teams have visited this particular hut. We are in touch with beach hut licensees at Branksome Chine to provide further advice and are looking at potential solutions.’
MailOnline has contacted BCP council for further comment.
