Flea infestation tackled at Wallasey’s Manor Road police station

Jul 30 2008 by Sue McCann, Wallasey News

A POLICE station was fumigated and uniforms had to be destroyed following an infestation of fleas.

The problem at Wallasey’s Manor Road police station became so bad that a firm of exterminators were called in to carry out the work last week.

One police source said: “It’s a bit grim. The place was infested with fleas after some officers returned from one incident.

“It happens but people were being been bitten so something had to be done. A couple of officers also have had their uniforms sent off to be destroyed.”

Paul Saven, an expert in dealing with flea infestations, said: “The problem facing police officers is when they go into a property where there are fleas but no host so the pest has become dormant.

“They go inside, breathe out and the creatures are aware of the carbon dioxide and are attracted straight to them – it kickstarts them into action.

“Typically, you would see them congregate first around the feet.

“It must be quite serious if they did feel clothing had to be destroyed, normally a 40 degree wash would account for the eggs and the parasite.”

A police spokeswoman said: “The nature of police work means that officers and police property are occasionally exposed to infestation.”