A PENSIONER claims he keeps having to pay Wigan Council money to tackle a rat problem he has no control over.

David Gingell, of Warren Close, Atherton, says he has twice paid the council’s pest control team £65 to treat his back garden after seeing rodents lurking there on numerous occasions.

The 74-year-old believes the rats are coming from a garage and an overgrown garden crammed with furniture and other items that backs onto his house that he says has been vacant for two years.

As the neighbouring property is privately owned the council has no authority to go inside to investigate the allegation.

The council believes the source of the rat problem is a nearby brook.

David claims the council has told him it has not treated the brook for the past two years due to enforced cuts and says that the situation has left him fearing a never-ending rat problem at his property.

“It is a public health hazard and one that should be treated at the source of the problem,” he said.

“Unless you get the nest you will not eradicate the problem.

“The pest control team is very good.

“They charge a call-out fee and treat your property.

“The man I spoke to at the council insisted the rats were coming from the brook at the bottom of our close.

“But the brook is to the left of my property and I have never seen the rats coming or going from that direction.

"I have seen the rats running to and from my garden to the garage at the vacant property at the back."

The son of the neighbouring property owner said: "I am unaware of any rat problems at the property. I will be contacting the council about it."

Julie Middlehurst, assistant director for regulatory services at the council, said: “We have investigated and monitored the source of rats in this area on a number of occasions and are satisfied that the source is in fact the brook, not any individual property.

“It is unfortunate that brooks provide a natural habitat for rats and enforcement action that we could take would involve any homeowner who is experiencing pest issues being served with a formal notice.

“However our approach is always to work with individual residents and provide them with practical advice and guidance to help them address the issues themselves.”