Lyme disease in the UK was first reported in Norfolk in 1968, spread since. Has Flu like symptoms and if you are ever bitten by a tick remove as quickly as possible before they become engorged with blood.

Lyme disease is uncommon in the UK, but the Health Protection Agency (HPA) estimates that there are between 1,000 and 2,000 cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales every year. The initial infection is characterised by a red rash that gradually expands outwards from the site of the bite. Antibiotics are usually used to treat the infection.

If untreated, the long-term effects of Lyme disease include problems with the nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) There is a slight risk from the ticks in the Lake District and they can be carried home by dogs.

Early symptoms may include fever, headache, fatigue, depression, and a characteristic circular skin rash called erythema migrans. See more on Wikipedia by searching the term 'Lyme disease'. Sometimes the disease may show what is known as a bullseye rash (pictured below from Wikipedia)