HOSPITAL chiefs are today preparing to reopen a bay at a Hampshire hospital following an insect infestation.

Staff moved six patients from part of a ward in Southampton General Hospital after flies were discovered buzzing around the area.

But last night hospital chiefs insisted the bay was due to reopen this morning and patients would be moved back in.

The hospital say the infestation broke out on a ward D Level of the Tremona Road hospital yesterday.

But a woman - who did not want to be identified - said flies were first seen on Saturday evening.

She told the Echo: "They had to fumigate to get rid of the flies but they're still here, buzzing around the patients as they eat their dinner."

But last night a spokesman for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said: "Due to the appearance of a number of flies in a bay on one of our wards earlier today, we temporarily moved six patients to another part of the hospital as a precautionary measure while the situation was investigated. The bay is likely to reopen in the morning."