CLAIMS THAT the actions of pupils attending the Kilrymont Road building of Madras College, St Andrews, of dropping litter could be responsible for sightings of rats in the area have been strongly rejected.

Senior members of the Whole School Council, sixth year students Andrew Ayton and Samantha Purves, have rebuffed the allegations made by members of St Andrews Community Council at their latest meeting.

The joint chairpersons of the school council were responding to a recent report in The Courier in which the community organisation blamed pupils attending the junior school of causing “an invasion of rats” through carelessly dropping litter, other debris and food scraps.

Former chairman of the community council Murdo MacDonald reported receiving complaints for residents of seeing vermin in the immediate area of the school and in the rear garden of one residential property.

However, Mr Ayton and Miss Purves, as office-bearers of the school organisation, said at the weekend that while it was acknowledged that there is a litter issue surrounding Kilrymont Road, they did not accept the allegation that pupils are entirely to blame.

In a joint statement they said, “It is a community issue, which needs to be addressed with the neighbouring residents, as well as Madras College.

“After a thorough investigation, no evidence of rats or rats nesting within the school grounds has been found. Rats require a constant supply of fresh food. However the school is only open 195 days in the year.

“The majority of litter is plastic bags and crisp packets, which the rats cannot consume. The janitors are doing a tremendous job of clearing the litter after morning break and lunch-time.

“There have been numerous litter initiatives to tackle this ongoing problem and these have been very successful. The Whole School Council will be inviting the new Fife Council environmental wardens to one of our future meetings to discuss litter issues.

“Litter is a problem within society as a whole. Madras College cannot solely be to blame for this apparent ‘litter mountain,’ which is why there is no justification for the victimisation of its pupils.”

The head of Fife Council’s environmental services, Fraser Thomson, said that “one or two complaints” had been received about rats from householders, but no evidence had been found in the grounds or other areas of the secondary school.

He also stressed that the local authority will take action against anyone seen dropping litter.

Madras College rector Lindsay Matheson said that, following the three-week specialist investigation carried out by personnel from Fife Council’s environmental services, there were “no traces whatever” of rats within the school grounds.