Rodents have taken over a nature reserve earning it the grim nickname "rat central" by disgusted visitors. Walkers claim to have seen rats crawling up trees on the hunt for eggs in bird nests which has reportedly put holidaymakers at a nearby caravan site off from visiting.
Remarkably, two women are being blamed for the rise of rats at the Welsh site as witnesses claim to have seem distribute feed at the beauty spot each day, The Daily Star reports.
With birdlife reportedly diminishing as a result of the rodent takeover at Brickfield Pond, Rhyl, wildlife lovers are calling for action after attempts by Denbighshire Council to tackle the problem were met with initial success.
Last week, Sue Nelson counted a total of 22 rats as she strolled around the reserve's path with her two dogs, The previous count was 19, and then 20.
The retired college lecturer, 74, said: “The rats almost define this place now. Which is a shame, as it’s such a beautiful place.”
Rat complaints at Brickfield stretch back at least a decade. In 2014 it was dubbed “rat central” in a TripAdvisor review by a mum who grabbed her two kids and “fled”.
By the first lockdown in 2020, rat numbers were reported to be out of control, with a woman describing her visit as “horrendous”.
“I have never been so disgusted,” she wrote. “My granddaughter was absolutely petrified. We ended up shouting and making a noise in the hope of scaring them, to no avail.”
With Ann Hughes, a retired social worker, Sue Nelson lobbied the council for vermin control in 2020 and in response a series of baited rat boxes were laid out and there was an immediate improvement.
“The following spring we began to see many more mallards, coots and moor hens by the pond,” Sue said. “The swans had four cygnets and managed to raise them all.”
By spring this year, breeding rates had slumped again. Walkers blame two older ladies who routinely feed the rats and allegedly resist all efforts at persuasion.
Some confrontations can become heated, said Sue. “Last week one of the women called me a k***head as she walked past,” she said. “I’ve been called many things but never that!”
A spokesperson for Denbighshire Council said: “We would ask people not to leave feed along the burrows and paths surrounding Brickfield Pond.
“Our Countryside Service has made timber-framed signage at the site to discourage visitors to the site from directly feeding the rats. We also pulled our own bird feeders from the site to assist in reducing the number of rats at the site.
“Bird feeding tables have been placed in the area to allow any feed to be left by visitors in a more responsible way.” RSPB Cymru was also approached for a comment.
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