THE long-standing rat problem at a popular park is getting worse, a councillor has claimed.

He said the plague of rodents, some ‘as big as cats’ had reached frightening proportions.

Cllr Paul Browne accused Blackburn with Darwen Council of failing to act to deal with the issue at Bold Venture Park despite repeated warnings.

The problem was first reported in the Lancashire Telegraph in February 2016.

Yesterday Cllr Browne, who represents Sudell Ward on Darwen Town Council, said: “The problem is getting worse.

“There are now more rats than ever, some as big as cats, running around in the area between the War Memorial and the duck pond.

“I don’t know if they frighten children but they are certainly frightening me.

“It’s horrible and unpleasant and if the rats get scared there is a real chance one might bite someone, possibly a child.

“The council have know about this for ages and been warned many times but they have not dealt with it properly.

“They need to get off their backsides and sort this out as well as putting up big signs warning people not to feed the ducks because they are just feeding the rats instead.”

Blackburn with Darwen Council environment boss, Cllr Jim Smith rejected claims of lack of action to tackle the problem.

He said: “Paul is just wrong.

“We have had a pest control team down this week after we cut back some shrubbery and discovered some nests.

“Those have been destroyed and we have been putting down poison in special traps so dogs and children can’t eat it.

“The problem is that the rats will now move nests and they breed very fast - even faster than rabbits.

“Cllr Browne is totally wrong when he says we have done nothing.

“We have done everything we can and the pest control team will be back down again shortly to look at what is needed next.

“The council’s budget is limited but we have pest control teams who go out anywhere in the borough there is a problem especially on council land.

“He is right that people should not feed the ducks because they are actually often just feeding the rats.”

Cllr John Slater, Blackburn with Darwen Council Tory group leader, said: “Cllr Browne is right.

“The problem has got worse and the council have failed to deal with it.”

He added: “Rats are a growing problem right across the borough and the move from weekly to fortnightly bin collections has made it worse.”