Rats measuring about 10 inches long are reportedly chewing through gates and trash cans on a garbage-strewn street in Darlington, England. Residents also report that some of the rodents are eating other rats.
Here's what to know
Residents around Westmoreland Street told ChronicleLive that the rat infestation had worsened. Darlington Borough Council confirmed an "ongoing issue" in the area.
Richard Huysers, who owns a property on the street, said neighbors had reported seeing rats eat one another. The 53-year-old works in health and safety management.
"The whole North Road area has improved so much recently, but here it's like living in the 18th century with the Pied Piper. It's got to the state that it's been that bad that a couple of neighbors have said they've seen rats eating rats, trying to get food. I didn't believe it until I was sent pictures of it," he said, per ChronicleLive.
Huysers said he had received photographs of wheeled garbage cans damaged by rats' gnawing, along with accounts of aggressive encounters between rats and people.
ChronicleLive published an image of a large dead rat beside a discarded plastic bottle. Other photographs from the area show waste along walls, including bottles and discarded construction debris.
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More background
David Burnside, a 73-year-old resident, said rats had been a problem throughout his five years in the area, but conditions had worsened.
"People leave a load of s*** in the street. Out of sight, out of mind. It's great for the rats. It has definitely got worse recently, especially with the food waste bins too," he said, per ChronicleLive, pointing to waste left in the street.
An anonymous resident alleged that a rat attacked a child who had mistaken it for a rock and accidentally kicked it, per ChronicleLive.
Councilor Anne-Marie Curry described the potential health consequences of a bite.
"Rats are dangerous. They can pass on infections to anybody who's bitten. It can be really nasty," she said, according to ChronicleLive.
Illegal dumping had led the anonymous resident to stop going into the street.
What's being done?
Darlington Borough Council said two teams are working together to address the problem.
"Our Civic Enforcement team is working with Environmental Health to resolve the situation," a spokesperson said.
Residents can also report illegal dumping through the council's website.
"Our teams work hard to keep our streets, back lanes, and open spaces clean and tidy, and fly-tipping of any kind will not be tolerated," the spokesperson added.
Additionally, the council offers rat treatments through its customer services team. Treatments cost £10, while tenants of council properties do not have to pay.
A few neighbors were already working to improve conditions on the street, the anonymous resident said.
Describing what they believed rats had done to their garden entrance, the resident said, "Some of the rats are 10 inches long and that's without the tail. My garden gate looks like a cartoon character has taken a bite out of it."
Where can I learn more?
Rats are causing trouble for people and damaging property well beyond Darlington. These stories cover rats in English cars, encounters in Quebec City, and efforts to track or control rats in U.S. communities.
• In England, mechanics encountering more rat-filled cars say changing parking direction could help.
• In Quebec City, Canada, workers say groups of 50 rats gather around people sleeping outside.
• Idaho is asking residents to help map invasive rats amid uncertainty about their spread.
• Boston is building a rat dictionary with AI to predict where infestations strike next.
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