MILD winter weather is likely to lead to a bumper year for insects in Devon, experts have warned.

Temperatures rarely dropped below freezing during what was one of the warmest winters on record.

And that will have an inevitable impact on the pest population for the rest of the year, according to Rob Simpson, of pest controllers register BASIS PROMPT.

He said: “The numbers of many insects in the UK are naturally diminished by cold winters, but the weather has been very different this year.

“Temperatures all over the country have been much warmer than normal and that could lead to a significant increase in the pest population.