Gang of giant rats chase people from communal garden as they're 'living in hell'
Homeowners at the flats on Glasgow’s Earl Street say the “huge” rodents have been wreaking havoc in their shared outside area leaving residents scared to step foot in their garden .
Brenda Smith, 65, who lives at the flats is too scared even to take her bins out, after one of the vermin ran over her foot - her husband Edward has to run the gauntlet instead now.
The couple have lived in their ground-floor flat in the Scotstoun area of the city since 1978, Glasgow Live reports.
But over the last year the rats have been braver and more numerous than ever before, Brenda said. They roam the garden fearlessly, day or night, in packs of up to 20, she explained.
Brenda said: "I am frightened to take the bin out and always take a stick with me and make a noise when I am going into the bins because they are constantly in the bins.
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The rodents have wreaked havoc and left homeowners terrified to step into the garden area"They run behind all the plants, they come out into the grass and run up and down every day. We are terrified to go out.
"I went out one afternoon to put my bin out and they ran over my feet, that’s the last time I went and now leave it to Edward.
"Some of them are huge and others are tiny, they are having babies all the time. You can’t sit out because you are scared. It’s absolutely terrifying.
"I can’t leave my window open in case they come into my house. I like to sleep with the window open but can’t. It’s like living in hell."
The back garden connects to a walkway near the River Clyde, where it is believed the rats are coming from.
The rats are filmed enjoying their garden while residents cower indoorsBrenda fears the situation could get "really bad" and is calling on Glasgow City Council to act swiftly before it gets any worse.
She says bin men are refusing to collect bins from the bin store, at the back, due to the rats.
She added: "At the very back, where the embankment is, it’s all dirt that has come down the embankment. It’s going to get really bad.
"We were last month told they are going to move the bins because the bin men are refusing to empty the bins from the back. We were told the bins are going around the front and they are going to put poison everywhere but that didn’t happen.
"They are getting the grass cutters to take the bins to the front for the bin men to empty and then they will take them back.
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"They need to come out and cut all this shrubbery in the embankment back. There’s holes where you can see the rats coming out of, they need to treat it.
"We pay council tax for the bins but the men won’t come and collect them, it’s a joke.
"I feel let down and disappointed, we were told they were going to get all this sorted. It might cost a bit of money but we pay our council tax and are entitled to a bit back from them."
Glasgow City Council say they are working alongside the housing association to address the issue.
The furry invaders have been making life miserable for residentsA spokesman for the council said: “We are aware of this situation and we have been working closely with the local housing association to address the problem.
“Back courts along this part of Earl Street are linked together and unfortunately some of the bin areas have been kept in poor condition, which has attracted rats into the communal area in search of food.
“Extensive bait has been laid down, bin areas have been cleaned and housing association staff will move bins to the street for collection, which will help to maximise the effectiveness of the pest control measures in place.
“As the food supply of the rats is being disrupted, rats have gone into other parts of the garden in search of food and may be more visible for a time while the bait takes effect.
“We will continue to monitor this situation closely along with the housing association until the issues are resolved.”
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