TOWN IS PUT ON RODENT WARNING (From Warrington Guardian)

TOWN IS PUT ON RODENT WARNING

HORRIFIED shopkeepers and workers fear Winsford could soon be swarming with rats if action is not taken to terminate the vermin in the town centre.

At first, rats were spotted in the multi-storey car park and service areas but this week, there have been reports of them crawling out of drains into the shopping mall.

Workers are concerned the rodents could spread disease or even bite babies if the problem escalates.

Centre managers, Paul and Tracey Bateman, have even been forced to cover drains with cones to stop the rats coming into the town centre.

One shop worker, who asked not to be named, spoke about the ordeal.

She said: "It's disgusting. The rats are coming out at 4.30pm. People have seen them when they are locking up.

"It's dangerous because many families use the town centre with babies in push-chairs. Rats are big germ carriers and children could also be bitten because they are vicious.

"They are really big rats. We have actually got video evidence of them.

"More than 10 have been seen by staff from various shops so far. One man said he saw one and threw a bit of food. Then a few came running.

"We are going to be infested by these animals if nothing is done. Soon the town centre will be swarming with them."

Another town centre worker added: "I see them when I go to the bank. I have seen up to three at once."

A meeting of the town centre shopkeepers was held last Monday night to discuss various issues, including the rat problem.

Shirley Clayton, manager of the Iceland shop, attended the meeting and she said: "We already know there are rats on the town centre. A few members of my staff have noticed them running up the centre of the town.

"It was brought up at a meeting and it seems there's a problem with the drains. This is where they are coming from.

"But Iceland has called out pest controllers and they are checking our site."

Harry Mooney, councillor for the Swanlow Ward which includes Winsford town centre, is also also a health and safety officer.

He revealed there is potential disaster if the problem is not addressed promptly.

"Poison is just not enough to kill the rats, give them so much and they can become immune to it," he explained.

"I think this is a serious problem because if they get into the food chain it could be devastating. The urine and droppings from rats can kill. But we do not want to start a panic. We need to reassure the people that Vale Royal Borough Council's environmental health people will sort this out.

"All shops should warn people not to eat in the town centre if possible and bins should be emptied and cleaned out every night."

A spokesman for the environmental health department at Vale Royal Borough Council said action was being taken to rid the town of rats.

He said: "We did have a query about 10 days ago from the shop centre management about reports of rats on their property.

"At the moment, the council cannot provide a commercial pest control service. What the council did undertake was to check out areas which we could be responsible for.

"We have looked at the multi-storey car park and there's no problem there. Pest control officers also looked around the service areas and we have identified that there may be problems on the water drainage system.

"So what we have done is to arrange for contract services to clean the gullies and ensure that there are proper water traps."

Town centre manager, Paul Bateman, said: "Ourselves and the tenants are looking into this. We have been carrying out a baiting programme and we have contacted the council on at least half a dozen occasions.

"We are also meeting with an independent company this week about the problem because we are getting nowhere with the council. So we are doing everything we can to stem it ourselves.

"Our responsibility stops at the doors of the shopping centre. Everywhere else is the council's responsibility.

"We have brought to their attention that rats have been seen outside the shopping centre's doors. Effectively the problem is not ours but if something is not done about it, it could increase 10-fold.

"I do not want to be seen as someone who is bad-mouthing the council but at the end of the day something needs to be done drastically and at least my conscience is clear. We have been taking action for some time now, and successfully. But we do not have jurisdiction over parts of the centre.

"I have had reports from some tenants that rats have been seen early in the morning and late at night. We do have cameras in the town centre and we've even gone as far as looking at these, but we haven't seen any rats,

"The most recent one was seen on the town centre, coming up from one of the drains and so these have all been covered with cones. But again it must have originally come from outside the centre."

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