There are about 700 diagnosed cases of Lyme disease in the UK every year according to my GP. I was bitten by a deer tick 2 years ago which attached itself to me while sitting under a tree in my garden (where fallow and muntjac deer often roam)Luckily my GP took it seriously, inspected the tick and ran some blood tests (negative fortunately) He gave me strong antibiotics just in case, as the tests are not very conclusive. He said it can stay in the body for years, causing arthritis etc and not be correctly diagnosed. Here in Norfolk, Thetford Forest is a hotspot, and the New Forest in Hampshire.