Project aims to raise awareness of Lyme Disease

They are a tiny insect but the disease they carry can be deadly. The numbers of ticks are rising rapidly in the South and so are cases of Lyme Disease in humans.

Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans by infected deer ticks. The NHS estimates there are around three thousand new cases each year but charities say the figure is closer to 15,000.

Experts say the rapid spread of ticks is down to damp winters and warmer summers - ideal for them to thrive. And vets are urging the public to check their pets for ticks. From the New Forest - Rachel Hepworth reports.

A project that looks to help people understand the severity of ticks in the UK launches today.

Experts believe that Ticks are on the rise, and that's why there's been a big increase of Lyme Disease in the UK in the past few years.

Public Health England estimates the number of new Lyme disease cases each year at around 3,000, while charities say the figure is closer to 15,000.

Lyme Disease is on the increase: laboratory proven cases have risen from about 200 in the late 1990s, to 1200 in 2013.