We need £2000 to help pay for heat treatment to eradicate bed bugs and replace furniture we have felt the need send to the tip.

Here's why:

2 years ago a family moved into the flat above us when we lived in North Tyneside. They did not stay long however shortly after they moved out a representative from the council knocked on our door and warned us to contact the immediately upon the discovery of any evidence that pointed to the infestation of bed bugs. Needless to say i thought he was being ridiculous, even if there were any upstairs we wouldn't get infected, right? Oh how wrong we was!!

I contacted the council straight away and they sent their team of exterminators. Using chemicals and powder they set about their job. Gave us our instructions and left. 6 months past and nothing we thought we were home and dried. NOPE! So i called them again, they came back, did the same treatment again, again 6-7 months past with nothing but, yup, they were back!

So that was it, i complained again but our mind was made up. We have to move, far away from here and bin everything.

After doing a little research i bought 2 D.I.Y kits and binned almost everything we owned! Beds, mattresses and bedding all went to the tip. All our clothing were boil washed and what didn't survive that went to charity (if it shrunk, it might fit someone else) and everything we couldn't bin went in sealed air tight hoover bags!! We stayed in the flat for 6 weeks after using the 2 d.i.y kits and it seemed successful, we slept on blow up beds and i although not completely confident i was sure my efforts would not be in vain, after all, we're moving out and everything that seemed infected was binned and/or boil washed and everything else was sealed in good quality hoover bags! I used separate vans for the tip runs, nothing that left the flat that went into the van came back into the flat! You do some funny stuff after a year of this.

The move went well, all the carpets and flooring in the old flat went to the tip and again we used a separate van to move from taking up the flooring etc. We went to so much effort! We bought brand new beds for the new house. In fact the only thing we did not throw away as it was recently bought before the infestation was the couch - ouch! But bed bugs live in the bedroom right? Where they can easily feed?

We have been in this new house in Blackpool now 10 months. We honestly had completely forgot everything there was to know about bed bugs. Right up till 2 months ago when our son came through complaining. He is 11 years old going to high school in Sept, has ADHD and ASD and remembers only too well the upset these caused us in the old flat! They must have travelled but how can we have not noticed them before this? It seems we haven't as they been pretty crafty, hiding where we wouldn't notice and not leaving their evidence where it's easy to spot!!! He isn't sleeping and is terrified to go to bed!

I have done my research on these and it seems they are the hardest of all pests to get rid of. They can live in a dormant state for 12 months or more, they know when and where to hide and reappear and they really do learn from mistakes of the past, the longer you have them, the harder they get!!

I have taken pictures of my sons new bed, it was a pirate cabin bed, a big beauty that cost a few bob, but alas this is at the tip now. The wood is split, the pesticides did this! I treated it before tipping it, i had to! But their not gone! The last 2 years has taught me that, their defo still here, somewhere!

I have learned the only fool proof way of getting rid of forever and killing all life cycles including eggs, nymphs etc is a heat treatment. I don't know how they do it but it involves heating the entire house to a high temp' as quickly as possible. This cooks them apparently. There is no where to hide when heat is applied but it isn't cheap, way beyond what we can afford. 1 month ago i heard about this treatment but 1 hour ago i heard about this page.

Please help me and my family get some sleep?