Residents in Jarrow left 'terrified' following surge of rats in the area

A street in Jarrow has been swarmed with rats over the last few months, causing concerns for residents.

Residents in Wark Crescent near The Princes of Wales in Jarrow have contacted local authorities regarding the situation as one resident has caught over 40 rats.

It is believed the rats are coming from overgrown brambles in the nearby park causing them to rummage through bins in Wark Crescent.

Many residents in the street have had rats in their garden and amongst their rubbish bins leaving them scared of entering their own gardens.

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One resident, Ged Needham has been taking control of the situation as best as he can by setting traps to catch the rats.

Over the last few months Ged has caught 46 rats in the street.

Ged said: "The rats are huge and are taking over the street. I had to set traps all the way along my cabin to catch them because there's that many.

"Some of the neighbours are terrified of going in their gardens because of the rats.

"I know you'll never get rid of rats but the amount I've caught in such a short space of time is a health hazard."

Neighbours are hoping action can be taken to tackle the infestation of rats in their street.

A South Tyneside Council spokesperson said: “Our Pest Control team received a report of rats in June 2023 and subsequently carried out a treatment in Wark Crescent.

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“We are aware of sightings in the wider area and in light of the concerns raised, we have made arrangements to visit the area to investigate, looking into the source of the problem and to determine options for pest management.

“We have also responded to reports of overgrown bushes and brambles in the vicinity.

“We hope this work to cut back some of the vegetation will help to alleviate the issue.”