Holmewood residents' rat 'nightmare'

Residents in a Derbyshire village say they are "living a nightmare" after rats were found in kitchen cupboards and crawling from bins.

Several homes in Holmewood are said to be "infested", with one woman saying her heating pipes have been chewed.

They claim the issue escalated after work started on a new housing site.

The local authority said rats often look for somewhere warm at this time of year, but residents' complaints would be taken "seriously".

Lauren Liggatt, 30, who has set up a Facebook group for people to share photos, said rats were "absolutely everywhere".

"They are jumping out of bins, sat in the middle of the street. One ran over someone's foot outside a shop," she said.

"We are facing a losing battle."

Rats have drunk litres of bait and a private pest controller was "struggling to get a grip on it", she added.

Tracey Peacock, 47, said she had been left without heating after rats chewed through pipes and wiring.

She added: "They're in the cavity walls, chewing through carpets and room doors. It's horrendous. We shouldn't have to keep living like this."

The problems worsened "considerably" due to work on the nearby Masefield Park housing development, local residents said.

Developer Gleeson Homes said it was aware of the issue but encouraged residents to contact the council.

North East Derbyshire District Council said it often saw a rise in calls at this time of year as rats find warmer places, but only one Holmewood resident had reported the issue.

Councillor Charlotte Cupit added: "Development in the area has been ongoing for some considerable time, so disturbance and clearance of land can inevitably cause dispersion of rats."

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