A LEADING insect bite expert claims to have spotted a mosquito in Sussex which can carry the Zika virus.

Howard Carter found the Aedes aegypti mosquito just north of Chichester while out walking with his mother.

He said any virus carried by the mosquito would not survive in this climate and could not be transmitted to humans.

However, he warned if global warming continued, a time would come when this particular mosquito would become more prevalent in this country.

Zika, which has spread to 23 countries, has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains in Brazil.

Mr Carter said he believed the insect he found was a random one off and may have travelled into the country in one of several ways.

He said: “It could have been on a jet stream from France or anyone who had recently been travelling from Italy or France, Spain or Greece could have brought it back with them.

“It may have also come over in a car.

“The virus cannot survive with our temperatures at the moment and this particular mosquito is not common here at the moment but that could change in the future.

“I captured the mosquito when I saw it and was going to have it checked out. Unfortunately the jar it was in was thrown away by the cleaner so I could not have it verified.

“However I am convinced it was this particular species because it had the distinctive black legs and white stripes.”

There have also been reported sightings of the mosquito in Kent.

Mr Carter, who runs the firm Incognito, said he was also expecting 2016 to be a particularly virulent year for the 34 species of mosquitos already breeding in the UK.

He said: “There has been a lot of flooding and this, along with the milder temperatures we have had, are creating perfect conditions for them.”

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for a number of countries in Central and South America, some Caribbean islands, Cape Verde and Samoa.

It is recommending that Britons going to those destinations - especially people who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant - should seek further advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre.