PEST controllers across East Lancashire are warning of a new pest problem sweeping the county - swarms of flying ants.

One expert says cases of ant infestations have almost doubled in the past year, while another one has recorded a 40 per cent rise in complaints.

Unusually large invasions of the winged pests have been reported throughout Britain and environmental experts say that an increase in warmer temperatures in the winter months and warmer summers could be responsible.

Andrew Glover, manager of Accrington-based Premier Environmental, which covers the whole of East Lancashire has witnessed a 40 per cent rise in cases.

He said: "Milder weather means the queen ants are not all dying off as they used to do in the winter months and are reproducing earlier in the spring."

"Longer, warmer summers are creating ideal breeding conditions for the insects.

"The increase in flying ants is making people quite panicky. Within minutes they can fill a room."

Anthony Irving, owner of Burnley-based North West Pest control said his ant cases have almost doubled from last year.

He said: "We have been so busy with ants this summer. There are so many of them. And at this time of year they are flying to find new nests"

"We didn't get any real winter frost last year so it couldn't kill any of them off."

Resident Stephen Burton, 33, was invaded by flying ants last week at his home in Ewood.

He said: "Suddenly one afternoon it was just a black mass in the kitchen. There were literally hundreds of them."

"I had noticed a few in the garden and in the house but then loads seemed to just come from nowhere."

"Everyone gets a few ants so I couldn't believe it when there were so many.

"I was embarrassed at first but it seems like its happening a lot."

Mr Glover warned that if warmer temperatured continue next year it could only mean more ants.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "The climate does appear to be changing certainly sea levels are rising and the climate in the North West could certainly be set to get warmer and wetter in the long term."

The Environment Agency warned that if the region continued to discharge high amounts of gases released from burning fuels into the atmosphere, we will have an effect of more extreme weather conditions - including heat waves.