In 1852, Newcastle was afflicted by "swarms", "multitudes", "masses", "plagues of flies" that "filled both eyes and mouth" and left crops looking as though "saturated by a bloody rain". The cause? Abnormal weather events. Our volunteer Sandra takes up the story: https://www.nhsn.org.uk/bold-encounters-with-insects-thomas-john-bold-and-the-extreme-wet-winter-of-1852-53/