A family with young children say they were left prisoners in their own home after being besieged by an infestation of outsized rats.
Jamie Watson and his partner from Falkirk have said they no longer feel safe going into their own garden because hundreds of rats up to four inches long roam around their house.
Desperate Jamie says they repeatedly begged their council to take action, but to no avail – despite one rat actually attacking him.
He told MailOnline: “I was so shocked I fell to the floor screaming.”
Jamie, 30, who cares for his disabled partner full-time, has now spent more than £200 on poison and traps to tackle the problem himself.
Jamie Watson and his partner, who have three children aged one, three and seven, say they were left prisoners in their own home after being besieged by an infestation of outsized rats
The couple say they no longer feel safe venturing into their own garden because hundreds of rats up to four inches long roam around their house.
30-year-old Jamie cares full-time for his disabled partner who lives in Falkirk
He’s seen countless live rats on his property and estimates dozens, if not hundreds, live nearby – and has started finding dead rats since he administered poison.
He said: ‘I first reported this to Falkirk Council three months ago, that’s the very first time I told them I’d seen a rat. It ran out of my tank, jumped onto my garden wall and let it escape.
“Two weeks later I was in the garden and picked up a recycling bag of cans and there was a rat in it.
‘The rat jumped out of the bag, and at me, before running away. It must have been eight to three inches easily, it was huge.
Jamie added: ‘I was so shocked I fell to the floor screaming. I immediately called the council, and again, they told me there was nothing they could do.
‘I can’t let my children in the garden anymore. It’s way too dangerous. If you are bitten by a rat, you can get sick or even die.
‘My garden is also full of traps and poison. But the rats won’t go near it – it’s like they’re immune to it.’
Jamie continued: ‘The nice weather isn’t far off and I’m really worried it could make the infestation worse. I also don’t know yet what I’m going to do with the children during the summer holidays, they must be able to play safely in their own garden.
Jamie was jumped by a rat when he was picking up a bag of cans
He says he’s seen countless live rats on his property and estimates dozens, if not hundreds, live in the area
He and his partner have repeatedly begged their Falkirk City Council to take action, but to no avail
The couple, who have children aged one, three and seven, say it is now starting to have an impact on his mental health.
And he fears that the problem could get worse with the approaching warm weather.
“It causes a lot of stress,” he said. “The last thing I need is worrying about rats and the possibility of them invading my house.
They literally eat everything. They chewed holes in the concrete and my trash cans. It’s insane.
‘I don’t understand why the municipality can’t just hire a company and arrange it for us. I can’t afford to pay 200 euros a month.
“If I want to have a nice dinner with my family, I can’t, because I have to spend all the money we have on traps and poison to kill rats.”
Rat bites can be associated with a number of illnesses, and health professionals say anyone bitten by a rat should seek immediate medical attention.
One of the biggest threats to humans is that rats carry Leptospira, which can cause Weil’s disease if bitten or come into contact with rat urine.
Jamie has now spent over £200 on poison and traps to tackle the problem himself
He has started finding dead rats since he administered poison
The rats have chewed holes in the concrete and the family’s garbage cans
Jamie went on to say, ‘I’m terrified to even touch the lids of my bins. Who knows if they suggested it.
“I constantly have to wash my hands or wear gloves because I’m so paranoid about catching something that could kill me.
“It is absolutely shocking that the council is not doing anything to help. I told them I was in favor of leaving my house and they told me if I did I would not be put on the housing list for six months.
“They also said they wouldn’t give me a homeless shelter. I am constantly looking for a new home. We can’t stay here.’
A Falkirk Council spokesman said: ‘We don’t have a pest control service and haven’t had one for some time.’