RESIDENTS have been left 'nervous' as rats continue to plague their estate in Whitehaven town centre, chewing through wheelie bins and entering homes. 

People living on Peter Street in Whitehaven have been continuing to deal with an infestation of the increasingly bold rodents. 

One resident said: "The rats are getting worse every day, they're jumping out of bins. 

"I've seen them moving around in broad daylight on multiple occasions, and on the same days I can see around three or four of them."

Rats have been seen near the flats and have bitten holes through plastic wheelie bins. 

On some occasions, they have been able to gain access to a property. 

Residents are concerned that as the winter months approach the rats may make further attempts to get inside buildings. 

Home Group manages the flats located on the street. 

Lisa Russell, Home Group’s regional director for the North West, said: “We are aware of concerns around rodents in Whitehaven town centre and have been working closely with the council’s environmental health team to identify areas which may be attracting rodent activity.

A rat was seen moving around near bins outside the building on Peter StreetA rat was seen moving around near bins outside the building on Peter Street (Image: Newsquest)

“Having carried out a site visit earlier this month, we have identified a number of works that need to be carried out, which are planned to begin this week.

“Once this work has been carried out, the areas will be closely monitored to ensure any follow-on work required is also completed in the coming weeks.

“We take pride in making sure Whitehaven is a clean and safe place to live for our customers and take concerns about rodent activity seriously and we will work with the relevant partners to try to resolve them quickly.

“If any of our customers do have concerns about rodents, we encourage them to get in touch or access information on our website at homegroup.org.uk/pests.”

The resident continued: "I feel uncomfortable and nervous in my own home, it's a health concern. 

"There are other older residents living in the flats and I'd like to see the authorities bring an end to the problem."

A spokesperson from Cumberland Council said: “Cumberland Council is continuing to work with the landowner who has undertaken some work to rectify this issue.

"While there has been some improvement, work continues, and the council will continue to monitor the area."