Rat infestations in Brentwood have rocketed by 24 per cent in a year as Britain faces up to a national plague of the pests.

Brentwood Borough Council reports that it dealt with 1,011 complaints about rat infestations last year, up from 813 the previous year. Only a few years ago the figure averaged just 500.

And the dramatic rise could continue, as the council has revealed that it has already dealt with a "large" number of cases this spring.

Head of environmental services, Simon Bennett, said: "We have had a record year, and we've had a lot of infestations this spring as well.

"It appears to be a national trend. I believe that the mild winters and the mild weather have a lot to do with it."

A cold snap can kill off parts of the rat population, but with prolonged mild weather they survive and continue to breed all year round.

So far Brentwood has been spared infestation by so-called "super-rats", which resist normal pest control measures.

The infestations are spread throughout the borough, and not focused on any particular area.

Now the authority is urging residents of the borough to take action to reduce the rat risk. Household waste should be stored correctly in a dustbin lined with a plastic sack.

Food put out for birds should be put on a proper bird table rather than on the floor, and care should be taken to keep pet and animal food in secure containers so rats cannot feed off it.

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