RESIDENTS of Norden Court in Bolton were watching as workmen tried to block up rat holes.

This Bolton Evening News photograph was taken in November 1975 — the flares and the boys' long hair could help identify the decade fairly simply we think.

Local folk had been enduring a problem with the four-legged fiends and when they reached breaking point decided on an action plan.

They offered free bed and breakfast to Bolton Town Hall officials in their rat-plagued homes in the hope it would convince the council to move them out until the rats had been killed.

Here we see residents (from left): Bob Shuttleworth with his wife Hilda and sons Andrew, nine and 12-year-old Gary, Elizabeth Hughes aged 17 with her mother Winifred and Mrs Maureen Darrick with sons Karl aged two and Paul aged 13.

Did the council get to the bottom of this problem?

Were you one of the neighbours who were protesting about the rats and are you on this picture?

While most of us love to see wildlife rats are a step too far and it is little wonder the residents were up in arms.