‘Out of control’ rat infestation forcing families to move house
Terrified families have opted to move house and some are struggling to sleep at night due to rats invading their homes in one part of Merseyside.
On the streets surrounding Greenway in Page Moss[1] and over the border into Huyton[2], rodents have made their way into homes, gardens and cars, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Residents say the situation is so bad that some people have decided to move out of the area altogether.
Knowsley Council said it regularly works with United Utilities to carry out sewer baiting in Page Moss which has been identified as a “priority area for investigation and treatment.” But with children unable to play out[3] due to the amount of rats plaguing the[4] streets, many people feel more needs to be done to tackle the issue.
Margaret Murphy has lived in the same home on Dinas Lane in Huyton for the last 40 years but she’s never seen it like this. The 72-year-old was one of many residents who told the ECHO the situation is “out of control” when we visited the area this week.
Margaret said she’s spent thousands having all of the boards taken up in her home to fill in any holes where rodents are getting in. And with rat traps positioned around her back garden, she no longer feels safe sitting outside.
Margaret Murphy showing a large hole where rats have been burrowing on Dinas Lane (Image: Liverpool Echo)
Margaret told the ECHO: “I’m absolutely terrified, it’s horrendous. All I do is sit and cry.
“Over the last six months…maybe a bit longer, 12 months, it’s just an infestation.
“I’ve had them in the house. When you’re in bed you can hear them. It’s out of control and everyone’s saying it.”
Margaret decided to set up a petition with her neighbour Jane Place in a bid to put pressure on the council to take action. The petition was submitted to the council’s environmental health team who Margaret said have been out to assess the situation.
Photos show huge holes where rats have been burrowing in the grass verge on Dinas Lane, which Margaret said the council has filled in with soil.
Rat holes on Dinas Lane (Image: Liverpool Echo)
Knowsley Council previously confirmed they are holding a series of ‘environmental improvement action days’ with partners across the borough, which includes a programme of ‘sewer baiting’ aimed at controlling the area’s rat population. But with the Huyton and Page Moss ‘action days’ not until October and November, residents feel the action will be too late.
When questioned by the ECHO about this, Knowsley Council[6] said their environmental health and street scene teams continue to visit the area with partners to respond to reports of rats. The council has now confirmed it will hold a special action day in Page Moss on July 20 in response to the concerns raised by residents.
Residents on Dinas Lane have set up a petition demanding action from the council’s environmental health team to tackle the vermin issue (Image: Liverpool Echo)
Jane, 57, is one of many residents in the area who have had damage caused to their cars by rats chewing through wires and nesting in the bonnet. Jane told the ECHO: “I remember going out one day and when I came back there was a rat. I wouldn’t pull in the driveway I was hysterical.
“The next day I pulled out again and there were four rats under my car. When we opened up the car there was a nest with crisp packets – I’m surprised my car never blew up.
“My husband’s car was worse than mine, he had to have a whole new engine and wires because all the wires were chewed.
“We’re all sick and tired of it. People are moving because they can’t get away from it – it’s that bad. It’s got to stop.”
Huge rats are plaguing people’s homes in Page Moss and Huyton (Image: UGC)
Jane said she has regularly paid the £25 fee for pest control to come out and bait her home but it’s becoming unaffordable. In a previous statement, Knowsley Council said due to cuts in funding they could no longer afford to offer the service for free. But added this was cheaper than elsewhere and work is continuing to tackle the issue.
Thomas, 64, said: “If I look out at about one, two in the morning, because I can’t sleep because I know they’re there, you can see them running all over the road playing. The traps go off every night and there’s nothing in them. They’re getting cute – I think they know how to set off the traps without being caught.”
Fly-tipping is one of the issues residents said is helping to attract rats to the area. Photos show a fenced off plot of land between several houses in Page Moss that one resident said has been piled high with rubbish for over seven years.
Fly-tipping in Page Moss which residents say is attracting rats (Image: UGC)
The ECHO understands the land belongs to Livv Housing, who told the ECHO they’re working with partners to resolve the fly tipping issue. A spokesperson said: “After struggling to access the land, which needed to be via the customer’s property, a plan is now in place to begin work over the coming weeks.”
What Knowsley Council had to say
A Knowsley Council spokesperson said: “While our ‘action days’ are targeted initiatives involving a number of partner agencies, throughout the year our Environmental Health and Streetscene teams, alongside partners, continue to visit the Page Moss area to respond to reports regarding rats. In response to the concerns raised by residents we are organising a special action day in Page Moss to tackle this issue on 20 July.
“Our Environmental Health and Pest Control teams work closely with landlord Livv Housing to arrange regular joint visits to the Page Moss area tackling a range of issues that can encourage rats. These include making property repairs, managing uncontained waste, replacing damaged wheely bins, clearing fly tips and issuing enforcement notices following the accumulation of waste.
“We have distributed advice to residents about protecting their property against pests and who to contact if there is a problem. There’s more information here[7].
“We also work with United Utilities on their annual sewer baiting programme. Page Moss has been identified as a priority area for investigation and treatment, and sewer baiting activity has been continued in the area on a regular basis.
“If residents have a problem with rats, they can contact our Pest Control team at www.knowsley.gov.uk[8] to request advice and treatment. If they believe that this is evidence of a wider problem, they can contact our Environmental Health Team on 0151 443 4712 or by email at [email protected][9].”
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References
- ^ Page Moss (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Huyton (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ children unable to play out (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ the amount of rats plaguing the (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ You can win a share of £3,600 in Aldi vouchers (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Knowsley Council (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.knowsleynews.co.uk)
- ^ www.knowsley.gov.uk (www.knowsley.gov.uk)
- ^ [email protected] (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)