Litter louts blamed for rat explosion in Bolton (From The Bolton News)

Litter louts blamed for rat explosion in Bolton

LITTER louts have been blamed for an explosion in the number of rats in Bolton.

Rat catcher Martin Begley says a rapid rise in rodent numbers is being fuelled by people too lazy to use a bin.

And he says late night revellers are particularly to blame, with discarded kebabs and takeaway food making the perfect meal for the rats.

Mr Begley, aged 41, runs the Fur and Feather pest control company from his home in Deane Road, Deane.

He says most homes in Bolton have rats nesting within metres of their doors and that residents of the borough can help control the problem.

The rat man added: "If you see one rat, there will be 100 close by. If you come into Bolton Town Centre at 4am they are coming out of the river in queues to get to the bins. If you leave a half-eaten burger around in the street, a rat will come and take it. Chucking a kebab away after a night out is like a banquet for a rat. It will feed its young with that and come back the next day for more.

"If people were cleaner there would be far fewer rats in Bolton. People are lazy and they won't go to a bin."

Government figures suggest there are around 60 million rats in the country. They breed up to nine times a year, producing between six and 24 rats each time. They also carry an organism in their urine that causes a condition known as Weil's Disease.

Figures released in 2006 showed there had been a massive increase in the number of residents in Bolton reporting rat invasions. In 2004 there were 2,912 reports, rising to 4,327 in 2005.

A spokesman for Bolton Council's Environmental Sciences Department said the council has a public health obligation to offer services for rat problems free to residents, although they charge for businesses.

The spokesman said: "The vast majority of cases we address are reactive although we do some preventative sewer baiting."

Leaflets on how to reduce rat problems are available at the Town Hall.

Mr Begley's firm specialises in the humane trapping of rats. They are then shot, rather than poisoned, to make death quick. He also traps feral pigeons, foxes and carrion birds that are a nuisance around homes, farms and businesses.