WASTE firm Hills has been told to clean up its flies or face further action.

The Environment Agency served a compliance notice on the company last week after an investigation revealed an infestation of flies at its Compton Basset site.

Paul Scotford, environmental protection officer for the agency, said Hills had 21 days to sort the problem out or action would be taken.

"We have told the company that they must work to the conditions on the management licence and deal with the infestations. We were not happy about what was happening and asked Hills to take advice on how to do it better," said Mr Scotford.

Nick Boyd, chairman of Friends of Compton and Surrounds, said the fly problem had been worse than ever.

"There is not enough consideration given to people who are living in this area," said Mr Boyd.

"It is disgusting, in the warmer weather at the end of last week it was horrific, flies were hatching out in their millions. It was ghastly and quite disgusting."

Calne ironmonger Trotman and Son has been flooded with customers demanding fly sprays and other devices to rid their homes of the buzzing pests.

Business partner Hugh Trotman said the shop had sold almost 2,00 fly papers in two weeks.

"There is a limited range of products for this job but we sold a lot of flypapers last year although 2,000 in two weeks is an awful lot," he said.

"We had a lot of people from Compton Bassett, then Quemerford asking for fly papers. It has calmed down slightly, but I expect it will happen again."

The agency was alerted to the huge fly population by a member of the public and by environmental protection officers during a routine visit.

Mr Scotford said: "The company was spraying the site but this was not working, it was having a very limited effect. We asked the company to work with specialist consultants to find the best solution to the problem."

Mike Webster, waste managing director for Hills Group, said the notice was served on April 22 four days after a meeting on site, at Compton Bassett, with the UK's leading fly expert.

"I feel the notice was served in error. We had already taken advice and had carried out work. I don't think it is entirely fair to blame the fly problem just on the Compton Bassett site," he said.

"It is a problem nationwide because of the warmer climate. It is nonsense that the landfill site is fully attributable."

Hills Waste said it implemented the recommendations by April 22 the day the notice was served.

Mr Webster said the issue had been fuelled by the fact that a local action group was encouraging people living around Compton Bassett to complain if they were suffering from flies.

"If someone gave me a telephone number and name and said ring this person if there is a problem I expect I would do just that," he said.

"We have dealt with the problem, all the recommendations have been implemented.

"I would not go as far to say there is a witch hunt but people are being told to ring the Environment Agency and complain."