MICE, ants and pigeons were all spotted at the University of Bolton last year.

Pest control workers were called out 21 times to the university’s main campus in Deane Road, Bolton, throughout the year, to get rid of rodents, set fly traps and repair pigeon nets.

The data was provided to The Bolton News under the Freedom of Information Act and university chiefs have said they were happy to reveal it to show how robust their complaints response system is.

A university spokesman said: “The university is one of the biggest buildings in the town centre area.

“We take very seriously the issue of pest control and deal swiftly with any such incident, however reported.

“This, together with preventative precautions, helps us keep our incidence of infestation low.”

Seven of the calls were described as ‘routine service visits’ from staff at Tyldesley-based Pest Solutions.

In April, a complaint was made about mouse droppings found in C block, so staff laid bait and traps.

In July, there was a report of ants in F4 block, so staff sprayed a water-based insect-icide on the affected area.

Later that month, B block saw the sight of mouse droppings and traps were laid to catch the culprits.

But the animals made an unwelcome return in November.

There were complaints about mice in B block and in a workshop in that month and traps were laid again to get to the root of the problem.

Fly traps were replenished in the student centre in September after a complaint about flies.

Also in September, staff removed a wasps’ nest from outside B block.

In December, staff removed pigeons from the university and made repairs to a net.

Last year, The Bolton News revealed pest control workers had been called out to the Royal Bolton Hospital 17 times in 2009, 20 times in 2010, 20 times in 2011 and 31 times in 2012.