A BACK street in Bolton that is being used as a dumping ground has become a magnet for rats.

A street between Longfellow Avenue and Longfield Road in Middle Hulton which is unadopted – not owned by the council – repeatedly has household waste and other larger parts of rubbish left there.

The problem led to rats making their way into resident Katie Sayers' terraced home last year, forcing them to move out temporarily.

Katie, 29, who lives with her husband Chris, 33, and their son Jacob, two, said: "I have lived here for five years and there has been problem with fly-tipping for pretty much all of that time.

"Last year in June it got so bad that rats got inside the house and we had to move out for six weeks where we stayed at my parents, Chris' parents and a hotel.

"This happened before our wedding in August.

"The rats were in my kitchen and living room."

The Bolton News:

After moving back into their home following the infestation, it was noticeable that the problem had not gone away when the coronavirus lockdown was implemented earlier this year.

Katie said: "When the lockdown was brought in at the end of March I saw rats in the back garden when I was working from home.

"I phoned the council and pest control came in.

"I've been putting rat poison down in the kitchen under the cupboard and I was cleaning recently and noticed one block of it had been eaten so I am worried that I've got rats back.

"I've been told that three or four people on the road have had to call pest control."

The continual build-up of rubbish on the back street has left Katie feeling "frustrated" with the situation.

She added: "The fly-tipping is just disgusting and I just wish people would show respect towards their neighbours.

"There's been stuff like prams, toys, food and paperwork dumped.

"It's really frustrating."

Katie also reserved praise for volunteers who regularly give up their own time to clear up fly-tipping hotspots in the area including Longfellow Avenue.

Volunteer Paris Hayes is part of a kind-hearted group of around 15 people that gathered 175 bags of rubbish in the space of 90 minutes in a litter pick a few weeks ago.