A family of rats are plaguing an office complex and have caused problems for pest controllers.

The rats have taken up residence in Freebournes Court - near to the Witham area offices of Braintree Council.

But the council's own environmental services department has been hampered as it cannot lay down poison or traps as the rats are in a public place.

The rodent menace was reported to have appeared about a month ago and they have grown in number since then.

Ann Scott, who works for Essex Social Services in the precinct, said: "It is disgusting. We spotted them about four to five weeks ago scurrying around.

"There is a mother, a father and a lot of babies down there now. They are obviously breeding as more tiny ones have appeared and we all know how quickly they can multiply.

"People eat their lunch there and don't realise what is behind them. We feel like shouting down to them to warn them but we don't want to cause a scare. I could not sit down there any more"

She claimed: "The district council who are responsible for sorting this out seem to be doing nothing about it. I have rung the environmental services department several times but they say they cannot put anything down because it is in a public place.

"But even if this is the case, which I can't believe, there are many privately-owned places where bait could be put down.

"If the owners knew about this menace I am sure they would want to put an end to it. It just seems so ironic it is a council problem and they seem to have put their heads in the sand."

A spokesman for Braintree Council said: "The council are aware of the problem and want to deal with this discreetly and effectively. But there is no way they can put bait or traps down in a public place.

"This is because we have had plenty of experience in the past where people have forced open traps or damaged them.

"We also want to deal with this without any danger to any other animals or children. We are looking at ways this can be done and are discussing it with Anglian Water as the rats must be moving around in the pipes."

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