Warning issued to shoppers in Witney after ticks spotted in town

An anonymous poster shared information about the creatures on the Spotted Witney Facebook page, after pulling multiple ticks off their skin.

The poster said: “Just as a warning to people out and about in Witney town centre there have been ticks spotted in the market square.

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“I myself pulled one off twice and was wearing a skirt.

Ticks are small, spider like creatures that feed on blood

“They don't just go on bear skin they can go on your clothes too and work their way to your skin and they are very good at jumping.

“They can cause serious harm to humans and pets so please be careful thank you.”

Ticks are small, spider-like creatures which feed on the blood of birds and mammals, including humans.

Usually, ticks are found wherever there is wildlife, such as woodland or moorland and they are particularly common between March and October.

The creatures can carry Lyme disease

The bite of a tick is not usually painful and sometimes causes red lump to develop where you were bitten, however other symptoms include swelling, itchiness, bruising and blistering.  

People should be aware though that some ticks carry the bacterial infection which causes Lyme disease in humans.

The NHS says ticks that may cause Lyme disease are found all over the UK, but high-risk places include grassy and wooded areas in southern and northern England and the Scottish Highlands.

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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