A MYSTERY outbreak of pus-filled abscesses has baffled residents of a block of flats.

In the past year, 10 people have sought medical treatment after the painful sores emerged on various parts of their bodies.

The residents, who live in Cotmandene Crescent, St Paul's Cray, have been prescribed antibiotics and in serious cases have been operated on.

They say medics are as confused as they are about the cause of the abscesses.

Tracey Moore's five daughters have all been affected by the outbreak.

The 27-year-old says four months ago an abscess began to form under the skin of four-year-old Bethany's right buttock, causing it to swell to twice its size.

Miss Moore said: "She was in a lot of pain. She couldn't sit or walk as the weight of it was dragging her down."

Bethany was hospitalised for two days while the growth was lanced, cut and drained.

The hole left behind had to be packed with cotton wool so it could heal properly.

Over the next few months, each of her sisters developed abscesses on their bottoms, fingers or noses.

They were caught in time and treated with antibiotics although Shannon, seven, had to have an operation two months ago to remove one from her index finger.

Miss Moore's partner Michael Suarez, 30, had one on his throat drained last week.

She says doctors at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, and the Broomwood Road Surgery, St Paul's Cray, where the family have been treated, do not know what is causing it.

Bromley Council's environmental health team is sending a pollution control expert to the flat but a spokesman says he would be surprised if it was something in the property.

Miss Moore said: "It's bizarre. We just know don't what's causing this.

"It's not pleasant for your children to go into hospital for operations every few months.

"We're beginning to think it's the water as I'm the only one who doesn't drink it and the only one not to get an abscess."

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