A coastal village in Norfolk is battling an infestation of enormous rats "the size of dogs" that have taken over a local car park.
Residents and holidaymakers in East Runton have reported the Beach Road area and North Norfolk District Council-run car park is "absolutely infested with rats."
Local witnesses say the rodents show no fear of humans, brazenly occupying the area around the slipway and car park.
The council has enlisted Millennium Pest Control to tackle the growing problem, with specialists Tony Bennet and James Trainer leading the response.
Residents and holidaymakers in East Runton have reported that a local car park is 'absolutely infested with rats'
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The situation has been developing over several months, prompting authorities to implement extensive control measures.
Millennium Pest Control has deployed 15 control boxes across the affected area as part of an eight-week control programme.
The boxes will be checked every fortnight to monitor the effectiveness of the control measures.
The pest control firm has also advised the council to implement additional preventative measures.
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A pest controller said that the problems seemed to have emerged due to a disused drain behind the toilet block
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These include more frequent emptying of bins in the car park area.
The council has already acted on recommendations to trim back overgrown hedgerows that were providing shelter for the rodents.
"We are helping the council to control the problem, of course, it's no good just controlling you have to prevent too," said Bennet from Millennium Pest Control.
The scale of the potential infestation is staggering, with Bennet revealing that "one pair of rats can have up to 1,000 babies a year if they have the right conditions".
Residents and holidaymakers in East Runton have reported the Beach Road area and North Norfolk District Council-run car park is 'absolutely infested with rats'
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He said that the problems seemed to have emerged due to a disused drain behind the toilet block, as well as the overgrown hedges and overflowing bins.
Callum Ringer, the council's portfolio holder for IT, environmental and waste services, said: "NNDC have been taking actions including but not limited to baiting, bin replacement and shelter improvements, foliage cutting and changes to bin collection times.
"Although unhappy with the time it has taken at least it is being attended to.
"It's not a silver bullet. We should see improvement in a couple of weeks.
"There are lots of things going on in that vicinity, takeaways, building works, everyone has to play their part."
