A well know environmental campaigner has called for more litter bins to tackle a rat infestation in the area.

Alan Johnson, who lives  in Deane, said he has been approached residents to aks Bolton Council for comunity litter bins and signage on local fields to stop rats in the area and prevent flytipping. 

Residents said the problems are affecting St Georges playing field and another greenspace across the other side of Quebec St.

They said the houses on Shepley Avenue where the back gardens face the ginnel back to back with the houses on Quebec street, are suffering from rat problems as there is an issue with fly tipping.

Alan contacted the council but says he has been left feeling angry saying the council told him they currently have no budget for bins.

Alan said: "Local litter pickers and residents are asking the council to provide more community bins, they're not asking for loads just one or two and signage to ask people to use the litter bins.

"So I contacted the council, the neighbourhood services team and I got a very kurt response, not very helpful at all.

"Basically the rat population in the area has increased so I contacted the council and said is it possible to install more community litter bins, and erect signs asking people to put their litter in the bins when leaving King George V field, and the other field across Quebec Street.

"Some people have picnics on these fields during the summer months, but sadly leave their rubbish behind, with the provision of bins, and signs, it may help the situation.

"But I got a reply from the council which said unfortunately we currently have no budget to support volunteers with new community bins and can only supply and collect litter bags, nor are we able to provide any signage.

"Rats are endemic in all urban areas and we wouldn’t expect to be able to eradicate them entirely but we will take all practical measures within the confines of available resources.

"First of all, myself and the residents never suggested to them we wanted them to eradicate them, we just suggested ways we could keep down the rat population.

"What the residents are actually asking for is not too much.

"They want just community litter bins.

"I believe that litter picking groups have been told at some event that litter pickers across Bolton due to their activities, have saved the council £1.4million.

"Now if that is the case, why couldn't some of this money be spent where they have saved, on doing a proper job for residents.

"They are very angry the residents and it seems to me that the council doesn't seem to care about the residents in certain parts of Bolton.

"It's not good enough just to send a kurt email to people who are genuinely being troubled by a much increased rat population that are getting into their homes from running off the field.

"We litter pick in our areas and no sooner its back.

"They need to control the rat population, people are trying their best in their areas to improve the situation and the council need to be more proactive and more responsible.

"The residents are also saying that people in the area don't let their children play out on the King Georges field because they feel that it is a health hazard.

"We are just asking for a little bit from the council, a couple of bins on each field.

"All the bins can do is make it better, it can't make it worse.

"The rats are going into peoples homes now and it's not the people who are causing the problem it is the outside on the field.

"And if they asked people to remove rats from their property it was cost them money.

"I feel angry as do the residents, this is not looking after the Bolton family - the council slogan."

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Our community litter pickers make a valuable contribution to keeping Bolton clean and we thank them for their outstanding work.

“The council recently purchased 200 litter picking tools and 80,000 green bags to be distributed to our volunteers, including those in Deane. 

“The council and volunteer groups have processes in place for arranging the collection of full green bags following a community clean up event.

“There are currently four community bins in place on the playing field, two of which were installed at the request of a local sports team which regularly uses the site.  

“Any fly tips found on this field can be reported via the council on our website.

"Officers will visit, investigate, and take appropriate action, including clearing it away. 

“The rat problem has been reported to our pest control team and appropriate action is being taken.”