RATS have been appearing around several properties in Darwen due to enormous fly tips and contaminated recycling bins, it has been claimed.

Areas such as Olive Lane and Tythebarn Street in the Sudell ward have been a particular problem.

Sudell councillor Roy Davies said he had received three calls in one week with residents complaining about rats and he felt that the the biggest problem bringing in the vermin was not enough officers inspecting dirty yards.

The borough has three officers who are responsible for checking backyards and alleys for rubbish.

He said: “I have never had as many calls in one week as this in the 10 years that I was a borough councillor.

“I think some of the reasons that we need to take into consideration are the fact that there would appear to be a lot more dirty backs caused by fly tipping, which in the past have been inspected by an officer to investigate if there is any evidence to bring a prosecution to whoever did it. The problem now is that we only have three officers who carry out this task for the whole of the borough, that’s 170,000 people.”

Cllr Davies is also concerned about contaminated grey recycling bins.

He added: “Another big problem is contaminated grey bins which are being left in situ for months.

“They are eventually lifted, then the householder phones the council to say their bin has been taken away, within a week a new one is delivered, but that is a waste of time, because the householder will then have a back full of rubbish.

“Why not simply empty the contaminated bins when the burgundy bins for general waste are being emptied hence removing the need to lift and take out new bins?

“If we are to solve this problem the council and householders must work together and residents must report people that have dirty back yards. The council should be knocking on doors in certain areas that there are problems and talking to householders and asking why there is a problem and what the council can do to help.”