A YOUNG girl was attacked by a swarm of at least 50 wasps in a scene straight from a horror film.

Terrified friends of Chantelle Kenyon, 11, tried to fight off the insects as they crawled into her mouth and ears. The Pleckgate High School pupil was taken to hospital where she was treated for about 30 stings all over her body.

Her mother, Jill, 38, of Lilac Road, Bastwell, Blackburn, said today: "Chantelle was on roller skates and was going across a field near our home when they just appeared from the ground.

"She first thought they were flies but then her friends realised what they were and panic broke out.

"Her brother, Nikki, was there and he was trying to knock them off with his sweatshirt but it had metal buttons and they were hurting her.

"Even when we got her back from the hospital we were still finding dead wasps in her clothing.

"She's in a terrible state. The only place she hasn't been stung is on her feet. She managed to walk home but nearly collapsed."

Spice Girls fan Chantelle, who recently won a family holiday after claiming first place in a disco dancing contest, is now recovering at home. Jill added: "It was like a scene from a horror film. She had them in her mouth and ears and she sees wasps every time she closes her eyes now.

"She's deathly pale and can hardly even sit down. I just hope other children will be very careful when they're playing out."

Lancashire Evening Telegraph nature correspondent Ron Freethy said: "We've had a hot, dry summer and now it's wet and that has made the wasps agitated.

"Their nests are too big and they're dying off and they don't like that.

"The best thing to do in this situation is not wave your arms about and just get out of there."

Nelson-based bee and wasp expert, Albert Morris, said people should be careful of ground wasps at this time of year when walking in fields.

He said: "She was very lucky they were not bees because there sting is far worse.

"Unfortunately she seems to have stumbled across their nest and when that happens they become hostile because they sense danger and want to protect their home.

"People tend to panic and freeze, but the best thing to do is flee."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.