Tick season: our guide to help you stay safe

Credit: PA

Spring is here, the sun is out, the weather is mild, and many of us are heading outside to enjoy it while it lasts.

However there's a danger lurking in the long grass: ticks.

The spider-like parasite is most prevalent in warm weather and it's believed numbers are increasing because of environmental changes, including warmer and wetter weather.

Ticks cling to skin and suck blood.

Most tick bites are harmless, and can be removed from humans and animals safely.

But some can lead to illnesses in people, such as Lyme disease and TBE (tick-borne encephalitis).

It's estimated there are between 2,000-3,000 new cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales every year.

To avoid Tick bites, the NHS advises people to:

  • wear long sleeves and trousers when walking in forested, overgrown areas

  • use a tick repellent

A guide on how to remove tick bites is available here.

You should visit the doctor if you develop any of the symptoms of Lyme disease, which are as follows:

  • A rash, often described as looking like a dart board's bull's-eye. The size, and number, of rashes can vary from person to person, and it may expand over time. Around one person in every three with Lyme disease won't develop this rash.

  • Flu-like symptoms such as tiredness, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, a high temperature, chills and neck stiffness.

You can watch British Mountaineering Council's information video on ticks here.