Peterborough residents complain of rats climbing drain pipes and killing wildlife due to rubbish problem
Residents at a development of flats in Peterborough have raised serious concerns about the amount of rats they are forced to come into contact with.
Residents on Manor House, on Lincoln Road, have contacted the PT with serious health concerns they say have seen large numbers of rats attracted to heaps of rubbish left to overflow.
The flats were developed several years ago as a result of an office block conversion.
One resident said: “This is the shocking situation as a result of weeks of uncollected and overflowing rubbish bins. Lids are left open with food waste overflowing and distributed all over the ground.
"This stagnating uncollected rubbish, has encouraged the rats to arrive and cross over and enter my garden to breed. They have burrowed breeding holes in my garden .
"Seeking food , they have been climbing up into the hedges and ivy and raided the nests of breeding birds, eating all their chicks and eggs.
"Resulting from this destruction this year, there have been no surviving young birds.
"For years, my garden has been nurtured as a haven for numerous species of birds to breed and winter there. They could be heard loudly twittering throughout the night and day but now my garden is totally silent, due to the hungry rats having eaten their chicks or frightened them away.”
Residents have also told the PT that “numerous” rats have been seen running around in the daytime and eating holes in dustbins and climbing up drainpipes.
Swarms of flies have also been spotted by residents.
The flats are owned by Accent Nene, a spokesperson from Accent said: “We are aware of the issues affecting these flats and understand the concerns this has caused some of our customers. The situation has arisen because residential bins have not been collected due to incorrectly sorted waste, resulting in bins remaining on site for longer than expected and spilling into communal areas.
“We have been working closely with the council and have funded an additional clean-up and clearance of the area, the most recent was completed on 16 September.
"Our team will carry out a further inspection early next week and, if additional work is required, we will ensure it is arranged. Once the area has been fully cleared, specialist pest control treatment can be completed where necessary.
“We are also continuing to work with customers to encourage the correct disposal of waste and are liaising with the council to explore longer-term solutions that will help prevent these issues from recurring. We remain committed to maintaining a clean, safe and pleasant environment for all residents."