WISBECH: Residents' fears that fly-tipping could encourage rat infestation.

RESIDENTS in a Wisbech street are worried that fly-tipping outside their homes could encourage rat infestation. An angry mum, who doesn t wish to be named, contacted this newspaper after furniture and mattresses appeared near her home in Chase Street. She

RESIDENTS in a Wisbech street are worried that fly-tipping outside their homes could encourage rat infestation.

An angry mum, who doesn't wish to be named, contacted this newspaper after furniture and mattresses appeared near her home in Chase Street.

She said: "We had this problem last year and it was a nightmare with two children under five. The rats came into our yard and were nesting in the shed. There were rats everywhere and we did manage to get rid of them but if people start dumping their rubbish here again we will have the same problem."

"The council says they need to know names when people are doing this but who is going to own up? It makes me very angry because other people pay to have their rubbish taken away and these people are getting away with it for nothing."

The furniture was removed from the street by Fenland District Council's rapid response team.

The council says it takes the matter very seriously and will prosecute anyone caught fly-tipping waste. It provides a Bulky Household Waste Service to help reduce the incidences of people dumping rubbish.

It encourages people to report anyone seen tipping waste. If you see someone fly-tipping you should make a note of the date and time, how many people were fly-tipping and what they looked like, the make, colour and registration of any vehicles involved.

To report fly-tipping email flytipping@fenland.gov.uk or telephone 01354 654321.