GLASGOW has the highest population of rats in Scotland and the fourth highest across the UK, according to a pest control firm.

Pest.co.uk reports that numbers of rats in the infestations they have been called to have been 25% larger this year than last.

They say rats have enjoyed a bumper year, breeding like crazy during lockdown and making their nests in vacant buildings in quiet streets with poor waste practices.

Glasgow comes fourth highest in a list of UK cities with the highest rat populations with around 1.3 million.

London is believed to have 19.9m, Birmingham 2.4m and Leeds 1.7m.

Jenny Rathbone, of Pest.co.uk, said: “We are seeing a huge increase in rat problems throughout the country as lockdown has really helped them breed in relative peace with closed shops and poor waste management practices providing them with plentiful food and shelter.

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“The problem we have right now is that rats are trying to bed down for winter, and this will happen when we get a few cold snaps.

“The main thing to remember is rats need food and shelter to breed, so any food source should be quickly cleaned away – keeping yard areas clean and tidy is key to keeping rats under control.”

Pest.co.uk is advising anyone living in urban areas to take proactive measures before winter really hits and rats try and find a warm home, these include:

  • • Block up holes – fill any gaps in brickwork, shed doors and any holes on external walls of your home including cellars and attics
  • • Clear cupboards – empty unused cupboards of bags, clothes, rags and keep them clean
  • • Secure all food sources – make sure food is not left out, tidy away any open food sources and keep worktops and floors clean of crumbs
  • • Prepare traps – by leaving out rat traps you can pre-empt any future infestation, however it is better to bait with official rat poison than leaving food scraps out

Data: pest.co.uk/glasgow/