A Dundee primary school has been infested by rats after nearby shops were demolished.
The rodents have plagued Our Lady’s RC Primary School in the Hilltown for several weeks but Dundee City Council hopes they will all be exterminated by the end of the Easter holidays.
It is believed the pests may have nested in the school after shops on nearby Ann Street were demolished and they were forced to find a new home.
There is even evidence that the rats have been able to get into classrooms and some staff have also spotted the creatures, which are normally nocturnal.
Coldside councillor Helen Wright said the council should make sure all of the rats have been destroyed and the school cleaned thoroughly before pupils return to school after the holidays.
“I was quite shocked to hear about this. It is apparently due to the demolition of multis in the Hilltown. Environmental health is aware that there is a problem but it is difficult because you can’t really put down rat poison where there are kids about.
“But, to be honest, rats are vermin and something needs to be done and the problem should be resolved while the kids are out of school.”
She added that there could be serious health implications.
“Rats running around inside a primary school does not really bear thinking about,” she said. “It’s something you might expect to hear about in London but not in Dundee.”
Rats carry several diseases, including Murine typhus, salmonella and the potentially fatal Weil’s disease. This is spread by the rats’ urine and kills around one person each year in the UK. Anyone infected with the disease initially suffers flu-like symptoms and in some cases it can even lead to liver failure.
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said, “Since the rat was first spotted the headteacher and staff have been advised to ensure proper hygiene procedures are in place and that any food waste is properly disposed of.
“Pest control officers have been at the school investigating and measures are in place to deal with the issue, which should be resolved by the end of the school holidays.”