A MOTHER has criticised the council after a week's delay in getting rid of a wasps' nest from outside her home.

But council officers say they did not have her request to remove it on record.

Kim Kellett said she contacted the environmental health department after she discovered the nest in a large fir tree at the side of her house in Rodmell Close, Bromley Cross.

She was worried about her son Joe, aged four, and daughter Leah, aged 12, and agreed to pay £39 to have it taken away.

But she said she was told it would be at least a week before officials would be able to take it away.

She said: "Leah has been stung on her heel and Joe has been stung on his arm.

"Joe's six-year-old friend George was also stung.

"All the children tend to play at my house because it is at the end of the cul-de-sac and is safe, so now they are all worried about being stung.

"I am not at all happy about how long it is taking to have the wasp nest removed.

"I think it should be done immediately, especially when it is causing a danger to children."

A spokesman for the environmental health department said: "At this time of year, we get so many requests for the removal of wasps' nests and other pests that our staff are out all the time.

"It does take a while to get around to everybody.

"This is why we run a booking system so that when a call is made we arrange a day and time when we know that someone is in and we can carry out the work.

"In this case we do not have a record of a booking being made."