BEWILDERED villagers are being urged not to panic over swarms of creepy crawlies which have invaded their remote community.

An investigation is under way into swarms of flies which have emerged in Burton Leonard, a village near Ripon, North Yorkshire, but no source has yet been identified.

Entomologists have been called in after residents began complaining to Harrogate Borough Council.

The authority's head of environmental health, Simon Johnson, said yesterday: "There have been an unusually large number of residents calling us about this problem. There is no obvious cause of this but we want to reassure local residents that there is no public health risk."

The unwelcome visitors are thought to be cluster flies and the lesser housefly.

Scorching temperatures recently have provided optimum breeding conditions for the cluster fly, which lays its eggs in soil.

Officials are confident the numbers of pests will die down.

Mr Johnson said: "In the meantime, residents can use fly screens or curtains on open windows and doors to prevent the pests from becoming trapped in houses.

"It is also advised to wipe down food preparation surfaces regularly with a disinfectant."