Rat population in Feltham high street is 'out of control'

An infestation of fearless rats is threatening to engulf Feltham town centre unless town hall environment chiefs act, according to residents.

An overgrown area of the High Street about 50 yards from Feltham Jobcentre Plus is now home to a rat population which is so out of control it is putting off those looking for work.

Job hunter Martin Gray, of Chertsey Road, Feltham, told the Chronicle: "This area is clearly the domain for the rat population. I came to the job centre the other day and there were six rats in plain view in broad daylight.

"I grew up on a farm in Scotland so I'm used to seeing rats about, but I've never seen an infestation on this scale.

"I shudder to think what it's like at night. I even saw two eating what looked like human vomit today."

Job centre manager Wasim Qureshi told how over a four-month period he has phoned Hounslow Council more than 10 times in an attempt to get the pesky problem resolved.

"It's even got to the point where customers are phoning the council up themselves to report the rats, but they never end up getting back to us," he fumed. "At a time when we are so busy it's really something we want sorted out."

Hounslow Council's own website tells of the dangers of rat infestations and preaches of the 'obligation on owners or occupiers to control rats and mice on their property'.

Rats have the potential to spread a wide variety of diseases, including Weil's disease, and food poisoning like Solmonella, it adds.

Expert Peter Edwards, of Ealing Pest Control, told the Chronicle: "It's not common for rats to be seen in the daytime, they are normally nocturnal so it must be quite a severe infestation.

"The council needs to get on it straight away as it is very dangerous, especially for children.

"If someone is bitten or scratched they would have to go into hospital as rats carry all sort of disease."

A spokeswoman for Hounslow Council said: "We're aware of the problem, which was reported to us by Jobcentre Plus. A site visit has been carried out, and we're looking at appropriate treatment methods."