RATCATCHERS
Residents faced with infestation
A clean-up operation is underway after shocked residents were faced with an infestation of rats.
The vermin have been spotted running around residents’ gardens in Maxwell Drive in East Mains and on nearby streets.
Scottish Water say a choked sewer near the Whitemoss burn, close to Halfmerke Primary School, has now been cleared.
East Mains Community Council say they have had a number of complaints about rats from local folk – particularly those on Maxwell Drive – for some time and now want them dealt with once and for all.
Chair Bill Arthur told the News: “We have been highlighting the state of the burn for some time now – not only what seemed to be flowing into it but also the rubbish which has been left in it.
“Trolleys and all sorts have been dumped in it and the rubbish lying in the woods and open space around Halfmerke Primary is ridiculous.
“There have been a few clear-ups but it’s not all been removed.
“Then we started getting complaints about the rats appearing.
“There have been a lot of them and it’s not really what you want close to folk’s houses.
“And we now have a lovely new school at Halfmerke – so the last thing we want is an infestation of rats in the area.”
Mr Arthur added: “Just after it was raised at a community council meeting recently I got a phone call from our secretary.
“She got back in the house and looked out her kitchen window to see a group of rats galloping across her flower beds – she couldn’t believe it.
“The community council contacted SEPA about the infestation who then passed the issue on to Scottish Water as it comes under their remit.”
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Scottish Water staff have carried out a thorough investigation in the area and located a choke in a sewer there.
“This has been cleared and a full clean-up will be carried out as quickly as possible.
“We would like to take this opportunity to remind customers of our ‘Keep the cycle running’ campaign with online advice at our website on what they can do to help stop blockages of pipes in their local community.”
Shirley Clelland, head of fleet and environmental services, said: “Environmental Services are aware of this issue and have arranged for test baiting to be undertaken in order to determine the source of the rats and to eradicate the rats.”