It is long gone and best forgotten, but the wettest summer on record has left us with an unpleasant legacy.
The damp summer and mild autumn have caused an unprecedented outbreak of disease-carrying ticks and fleas.
Numbers are at an all-time high, posing serious health risks to humans and pets.
Ticks can carry Lyme disease, which can lead to paralysis, blindness or even death for humans, and lameness, heart and kidney problems for pets.
According to figures from the Health Protection Agency, there were 768 reported cases of Lyme disease last year, compared with 292 in 2003, a 263 per cent increase. Hampshire has been worst hit in the past 12 months, with more than 220 cases reported. Salisbury Plain, Exmoor, Dartmoor and the South Downs are also regarded as danger areas.
The first sign of Lyme disease is a ring-shaped skin rash, which spreads out within 30 days. Other common symptoms include tiredness, headaches, joint pain and flu-like symptoms.
The HPA estimates that 1,000 to 2,000 Lyme disease cases go unreported each year. Vets say that dirty homes are also contributory factors to the increase in parasites.
Sabrina Stroud, business manager for animal healthcare brand ProMeris UK, which carried out the research, said: "Climate change and the damp summer have created the prefect breeding conditions for these potentially lethal parasites. Now is not the time for complacency."
DailyMail
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