Chester residents “freaked out” by rats problem

Sep 10 2009 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

Chester residents “freaked out” by rats problem

HOUSEHOLDERS say they are ‘freaked out’ by an infestation of rats in their neighbourhood.

Residents in the Gladstone Avenue area of Chester have had rats in their homes and gardens.

They wonder if rubbish put out too early by some tenants is attracting the rodents.

Welsh Water is searching the drains with CCTV cameras in case the rats are escaping from a cracked sewer.

Jo Heyland, from Gladstone Avenue, has come face-to-face with a rat sitting on top of the boiler in her kitchen, excreting onto the work surface.

She said: “I’m quite a strong person but I’m freaked out. I’m nervous about going in the kitchen now. You should not be seeing a rat in your kitchen in this day and age.”

Mrs Heyland said council pest control experts put poison down after a neighbour spotted a rat in an alleyway and she heard scratching in the wall cavity. Now she and her husband Chris are living with the stench of decomposing rats.

But she was forced to pay Rentokil £200 after feeling unhappy with what she said was a lack of urgency by Cheshire West and Chester Council .

“When you are not getting any satisfaction from the council that you are paying your council tax to, what are you supposed to do?” asked Mrs Heyland, who worries about her grandchildren visiting.

Roger Vaughan, a Whipcord Lane resident for 20 years, believes rubbish is being put in the alleys ahead of the collection day. He has just disposed of a dead rat after the council’s pest control laid bait.

Mr Vaughan said some residents were placing objects on their toilet lids to prevent rats entering their homes.

A council spokesman said poison was laid at two locations, no action was taken at a third because Rentokil had been. Sewer baiting will take place next week.