Rats menace angers residents in Fairhill

May 1 2008

ANGRY residents living in Woodhead this week hit out after rats were spotted running about the area.

Residents say they have been forced to put out traps in their back gardens after the authority began work on the new Fairhill Community Centre site in Neilsland Road.

South Lanarkshire Council began work on the demolition of the old centre almost a year ago to make way for a new £7m complex and car park.

The complex will replace the existing community centre, library and civic centre.

The new facility will include a community hall, two fitness suites, a library, community cafe, a day-care centre for adults and an outdoor sensory garden.

However, residents living in Woodhead say that now work is almost complete rats have been making their way towards their homes in Dee Terrace.

One resident said: “I think something has been disturbed during the work at the new centre and the rats are spilling up from that area.

“My neighbour has put down traps in her garden and has caught three. Another neighbour has put rat poison in her garden.

“My daughter just said the other day that she had seen a rat in our garden.”

A spokesperson for South Lanarkshire Council said: “We have received complaints of rats in the area and we placed bait at these properties.

“To date there has been no evidence to indicate any rodent activity but we will continue to monitor the situation.”