Diabetic foot ulcers should be treated to maintain health status, improve quality of life, reduce the number of amputations and lower costs. Many centres that treat diabetic foot ulcers use a multidisciplinary team approach, which comprises medical staff, nurses, podiatrists and an orthotist. At the Manchester Diabetes Centre, larval therapy has been used for several years to debride sloughy diabetic foot ulcers. This case history demonstrates the adverse effects of diabetes on feet, and the multidisciplinary team's contribution to successful treatment and healing of a complex foot lesion.