Moths given cold shoulder at stately home

Caretakers at a National Trust for Scotland location have taken the decision to employ industrial-sized freezers in an attempt to remove an infestation of moths.

Two 20ft-long freezers have been brought into the 17th century Newhailes House near Musselburgh, ahead of a deep clean programme.

Over the next few weeks, all carpets, curtains, chairs and clothing at the National Trust for Scotland attraction will be exposed to temperatures reaching minus 35C (minus 31F) in order to destroy moth eggs and larvae.

Staff will then use specialist vacuum cleaners to clean the textiles.

Mel Houston, from the National Trust for Scotland, said: "This is the biggest project that the National Trust for Scotland has ever undertaken to tackle a pest problem like this and protect the important collections at Newhailes.

"In the last year moth numbers at Newhailes have exploded and we've seen a four-fold increase in how many we're finding.

"We're lucky to have been able to catch the problem at just the right time, when we're able to do something to control the moths before really serious damage is done.

"The deep freeze and deep clean gives us the confidence that we're killing off as many moths as we can.

"We'll never get rid of them completely but we'll be able to get down to the level where they can be controlled."