A WOMAN has spoken of her disgust after rats plagued her street.

The resident in Angela Street, Blackburn, said she and her neighbours were appalled by the amount of rubbish, which is waist-high in some parts, in the back yard of an empty property.

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The 55-year-old said the stench from the black bin liners, some of which contain rotten food, had caused the rats to take up residence in the street.

She said: “It absolutely stinks and it is absolutely disgusting.

“My neighbours have seen dead rats all over the living room floor in the house and it is not going to be long before they get into our homes too.

“The area at the back of the houses has a grassed area which during the summer our kids would normally play on. But we have not been able to let them play. We are worried about their health. And with the hot weather we have had, you can imagine the stench.

“A couple of weeks ago, I was walking my dog there and there were scores of rats. I could hear them squeaking and I could see them hopping about. They have literally been walking right up to my glass door at the back.”

The woman said she had told Blackburn with Darwen Council about the problem six months ago, but had been told nothing could be done until the property’s landlord could be found.

She said: “What is disgusting, apart from the whole thing being physically disgusting, is the council’s reaction. They do not keep you up-to-date, which would make us feel like something was being done about it.”

A council spokesman said: “The council takes all complaints regarding vermin and pests seriously, and we will continue to look into this matter on the behalf of residents.”