Worried families say they have been made to live in 'squalor' after their street was plagued by ' rats the size of cats '.
Residents of Page Moss in Knowsley, Merseyside say they are scared to let their children and pets outside after seeing the invasive rodents running around their garden.
One dog is even reported to have died after licking rat urine, while a local mum said on social media said she now feared that her child would be bitten by the pests.
"It's got to the point now where we are all restricted. We need to raise awareness. I'm aware it's a deprived area, I've grown up here but it's like it's getting overlooked", she told the Liverpool Echo.
Another resident, who asked to not be named, claims she even had to spend a "fortune" having her car replaced after rats were found nesting in her engine.
Recalling the unnerving incident, she said: "The mechanic told me they had been nesting in the engine and they had chewed through the diesel pipe so my car was eating through the fuel, which in the financial situation we are in, it was ridiculous.
"Rats were found nesting in my previous car as well, it's got to the point now where who is going to do something about it? It's disgusting we have to live with vermin.
"It's constant, I can't let my children in the back garden and I can't let the dog out, we can't put sheets out in case the dog eats them, it's a cycle."
A spokesperson for Knowsley Council said they would continue to tackle the rat infestation in the area by working with local residents, businesses and partners, with methods including sewer baiting, pest control and action days.
Advice will also be given to local residents to help tackle the problem, as a number of properties still appear to have overgrown and badly maintained gardens which contribute to the problem.
The spokesperson said: "We continue to work with partners, residents, businesses, and landlords to tackle any rat infestations in Page Moss. This includes sewer baiting, pest control and a full day of action specifically targeting the area, identifying issues that may be contributing to the problems and offering advice to residents about prevention.
"Despite these best efforts, we are aware there are still some parties who are not following council advice and continue to allow overgrown or poorly maintained areas to offer shelter for rodents. This is causing issues for the wider neighbourhood. We are proactively working to tackle this as a priority and those efforts with partners, residents and business will continue."
