Enfield Borough Council is reducing the cost of pest control to tackle an explosion in the population of bed bugs and wasps.

The council today dropped the price by £10 for wasps and £48 for bed bugs treatment to encourage more people to take up the council’s services.

Cabinet member for environment, Councillor Chris Bond, said: "The whole of London is reporting an increase in the number of pests and vermin running around and we carry out thousands of visits to residents and business every year.

"We've seen an increase in the number of people who are trying to get rid of pest themselves but the problem with that approach is that it doesn't always work and the number of pests can increase rapidly, making it much harder to deal with an infestation when we are eventually called in."

He said he knows families are finding it difficult to make ends meet and the council does not want people to be discouraged from using the council’s pest control because they cannot afford to get experts in.

Pest control officer for the council John West confirmed Enfield’s bed bug population is on the up.

He said the number of 5mm creatures could be increasing as people bring them back from holiday.

A wasp treatment costs £48 and £105 for bed bug treatments for one bedroom homes or bedsits.