A pizza restaurant has promised swift action after families claimed their lives were being made a misery by rats feeding on rubbish in a nearby alley.

Richard Noyce, 56, and his 84-year-old father say they have endured more than four years of bad smells and vermin from the passageway near their home in Victoria Avenue, Southend.

Richard, owner of Rickatrack Model Railways, below his father's flat, said: "The situation is getting out of hand, and we're all very worried.

"A rat once came in the house when my dad was here and knocked over an ornament. They're very large, and always feeding on the piles of rubbish in the garden next door and the alleyway."

The rubbish has built up from a pizza takeaway shop next door which is not getting it collected, said Mr Noyce.

More rubbish is dropped in the alleyway by people who see refuse sacks already there, which just adds to the mountain of trash.

He said: "My dad has lived here since the 1930s, and he has a beautiful garden. But it's all spoiled by this horrible problem.

"There's such a stench all the time, which is only going to get worse as the summer approaches.

"It's a real health hazard, and we've appealed to the council to help. My dad is not as strong as he used to be, and he obviously fears the thought of having large rats coming into the house."

Manager of Pizza Pacific, Thar Ali admitted he had had difficulty clearing away the refuse - but claimed it would be done today.

He said: "We took over the shop from the previous owners last month, and they left a lot of rubbish behind.

"The refuse collectors have been booked for this week, and they will take it all away. After that we will organise weekly collections. We're sorry for any inconvenience it has caused to neighbours."

David Connor, Southend Council's head of environmental services, said: "We've received complaints relating to rubbish at this address dating back to 1998.

"A notice was served on the previous owners to get rid of their refuse. However, our officers visited after fresh complaints were received, and the new owners have now set up a contract to get the rubbish removed."

Kicking up a stink - Richard Noyce shows off the rubbish

Pictures: STEVE O'CONNELL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.