A vulnerable woman said she cannot bear to go outside after a huge rat was found stuck in a hole in her wheelie bin right outside her front door.
At 9am on Sunday morning, Theresa Blackburn's daughter-in-law was coming to visit her when they came across the shocking and "vile" sight. A large rat was stuck in a small hole in the rubbish bin in the front garden at Woolfall Crescent in Page Moss.
Theresa said her daughter-in-law Linzi Oldbank ran back down the path and shouted at her to "stay inside" when neighbours came to help. Despite the bins being cleaned every two weeks and the council's action plan against the rat issues, residents say the streets are still infested with vermin.
READ MORE: Rats 'as big as cats' starting to take over 'entire' Merseyside borough
Theresa told the ECHO : "I'd heard banging noises the night before, it had me up all night but I didn't have a clue what it was. I went to open the door on the Sunday morning and she shouted at me to stay inside and keep the door shut because there was this rat right next to my front door screaming away.
"I didn't want them killing it, I hate things like that. I'm in a right state. The lad next door managed to move my bin out the gate but it's still there now. I don't want the bins anymore, I want them taken away."
Theresa said she was advised by the council to call pest control, who said she would be charged to get it removed, but classed as a vulnerable resident, she said she did not have the money to throw away. Trying her luck with environmental health, she said the lines are "constantly busy" and cannot get through, and as of Monday morning, the rat was still there.
People are seeing the rat and "running across the road" as dogs try to "jump up at it" and crowds of youths gather to "stare at it." Theresa said something needs to be done to tackle the issue.
She added: "Half of its body is just stuck in the bin and it looks heavily pregnant. It's horrible, you can't get through to anyone. What do I pay my council tax for? I won't go outside the door because no-one will come and get the bin, they just won't come out. All the front and back garden are concreted, it's cleaned so there shouldn't be rats."
Sharing the pictures and video on social media, many residents were quick to share their disgust. One person wrote: "Though we appreciate that sewer baiting is now taking place after five years of neglect, it is going to take an intensive baiting programme borough wide, not just in the sewers, but in the vermin ridden streets our children play in."
Another user said: "Oh my god that’s vile. They must be out their minds, should compensate people having to live like that as well, making people sick especially, kids." A third wrote: "I had the same in my bin but by the time I saw it, it had died hanging there."
Daughter-in-law Linzi told the ECHO that Theresa suffers with her heart and is afraid to touch her bins after rats have "jumped out" in the past. She said: "She’s opened the lid many times to put rubbish in and they've jumped out. She’s going to have a heart attack one of these days, her bins get washed fortnightly and have been ate regardless of how clean we keep them.
"All the kids are standing looking at it and dogs are jumping up at the bin when walking past. It's an awful thing to see that stuck in the bin screaming and screaming until it’s out out of its misery. People shouldn’t be putting up with it.
"I put a video up (on Facebook) a couple of weeks ago over the engine in my car. I lifted the bonnet again last week, there's rat droppings all over my engine again. It’s vile, the whole estate is vile, overrun with vermin. I've never seen anything like it, dead in the roads, dead in people's paths and gardens and pest control told me they're in people's houses."
A spokesperson for Knowsley Council said: "We have spoken to the resident and advised them to book an appointment with Knowsley Pest Control as per the Council’s policy. For rat problems there is a charge of £24 and this includes a survey of the property and any treatment, including advice, which may be required.
"The Council is working closely with partners to prevent rat infestations in the area. Last month, the Council held a Day of Action in Page Moss, during which it identified and addressed a number of issues. This included replacing broken bins, clearing accumulations of waste, and talking directly to residents to alert them to the potential issues and the steps which they can take to keep their homes and neighbourhoods safe.
"If residents are experiencing problems, they can contact our Environmental Health Team on 0151 443 4712 or through environmental.health@knowsley.gov.uk. There is also lots of advice on our website."
