A mum has aired her fears over rats approaching her home as selfish fly-tippers repeatedly dump rubbish in the area.
Sue Slater, who has lived near Wash Lane, Bury, for almost 30 years has said she can no longer open her windows or sit in her garden due to the smell of rubbish and fear of being bitten by the rodents.
The 53-year-old mum described some of the streets near her home as like "rat-infested slums", adding that they are almost unrecognisable from what they looked like in the 90s.
She said: “There’s only so much that myself and other litter-pickers can do, it just feels like nobody cares.
“One of my elderly neighbours was out litter-picking the streets when she said she found a furry glove but it was actually a dead rat.”
Sue believes that the huge piles of waste being dumped are to blame for the increase of rats in the area, something she has spent hundreds trying to protect her home from.
Sue said: “The council had a huge clean up here last year and it was amazing, but it is hard not to get disheartened three months later, the waste returned and with it, the rats.
“Since November I have contacted the council four times and the waste is still there. I’ve tried to clear as much as I can, but I am one woman.
“I pay my council tax so that my streets can be kept clean but nothing has been done about this so it's frustrating."
Believing that the fly-tippers are re-offenders, Sue has called for a crackdown on identifying and prosecuting those littering in the area.
She added that because there are no cameras, it is hard to tell who it is and “people know they can get away with it unpunished".
A similar concern has been shared by the Radcliffe Litter Pickers who say they have seen huge increases in fly-tipping over the past few months.
Gill Smith, a volunteer with the litter-pickers, said: “It’s always the same places, repeatedly.
"We work closely with Bury Council who do a great job, but we need stronger measures from the central government to prevent it.
“No-one should have to live with this, it is disgusting and inexcusable.”
Read more: 'Damaging and expensive': Litter concerns after Bury clean up
Taking photos of the fly-tipping in her area, Sue found a mattress, fridge, couches, toys, furniture, clothes and last year, a wheelie bin filled with used nappies and rainwater.
She has spent hundreds on pest control and DIY to "rat-proof" her home but worries that young children playing out could be bitten.
Sue added that as the houses are all conjoined, she constantly worries that rats will find a way into her home.
Read more: Fly-tipping issues for residents in Bury
She said: “My mental health has been affected by this.
"I can't go in my house without earplugs because I'm scared of hearing rats.
“I don't know how they get in but I've been on the roof making sure the holes are filled up and there's no way to get through.
“It's horrible when you're in bed and you can hear scratches, not knowing where they are coming from or if the rats have found a way through from the conjoined houses.”
Several people from the area have helped to volunteer as litter-pickers but Sue said these numbers are decreasing as many feel like they were fighting a losing battle.
In response, Cllr Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations at the council, said: “Fly-tipping is disgusting, and a problem across the country.
"It blights neighbourhoods, carries a public health risk, and costs local taxpayers money to have it cleared up.
“It is also a crime, and we are determined to take action against the perpetrators, which is why we have taken on more enforcement officers.
“In 2022, 31 people were issued with fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping, and a further 17 were fined for littering.
"There were also seven prosecutions, two warrants are waiting to be executed, and a further 10 cases awaiting a trial date.
“If we are to bring people to justice, however, we need residents to report incidents and help us gather the evidence that a court will need for a prosecution.
“We are currently taking action in this particular part of Bury, and our teams from enforcement and pest control have made a number of visits to tackle public nuisance in the area. We have also considered whether CCTV could be deployed there which might help us gather evidence.
“If you witness fly-tipping, please make a note of everything you see or know, and contact the council at 0161 253 5353 or report it at https://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=11296”
If you have a story tweet @BuryTimes or @Heywoodharriet_ you can also email Harriet.Heywood@newsquest.co.uk.
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