Sonya Bullock and son Hudson have been leapfrogging from hotel to hotel (Picture: ncjMedia Ltd)
A single mum grieving the death of her husband has been forced to leave her home over Christmas due to a horrific fly infestation.
Sonya Bullock, 45, and her son Hudson, two, have seen their home in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, riddled by flies that have thrown their lives into misery.
Having spent thousands on building maintenance and hundreds on pest control, Bullock can no longer afford Christmas presents for the family.
The mum, who bought her flat in the coastal town of South Shields from the council in 2008, already had it rough after her husband died earlier this year.
She said: ‘I researched these flies and discovered they were drain flies so I spent a lot of money cleaning the drains.
‘These flies just would not disappear so I decided to contact the Environmental Health Department who told me they do not come out for flies.
Bullock’s husband died earlier this year (Picture: ncjMedia Ltd)
Council surveyors are stumped as to why her home has been riddled with flies (Picture: ncjMedia Ltd)
‘He said I would need to find the breeding source and wish me luck as they can breed in pipes, drains and gutters.
‘I’ve spent months trying to find the breeding source and paid Dyno and Dyno Rod to help me but no luck.’
Bullock has seen her mental health plummet amid the stubborn fly problem, which she feels is down to a leak in the bathroom.
Her doctor has prescribed her antidepressants and she’s had to postpone her college course to September next year.
Crashing on her mother’s couch has been Bullock’s only option to get by as well as booking hotels.
‘I’m on Universal Credit but don’t get help to pay my mortgage, and my husband died earlier this year,’ Bullock said.
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‘I have been staying with my mum but she just has a fold-out bed so I have stayed in hotels with my son to escape the house.
‘We are in one over Christmas and I haven’t been able to afford any Christmas presents for my son, or family this year.’
The council said that surveys have combed Bullock’s home and have been unable to track down the source of the flies.
‘They have also not identified any leaks in the bathroom,’ a spokesperson said.
‘We will arrange for a surveyor to revisit in the New Year and further inspect the property.’
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‘I have stayed in hotels with my son to escape the house.’
