Latest news with #RedcarAndClevelandCouncil
BBC News
4 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Redcar leaky boating lake repairs nearing completion
There are hopes a leaky boating lake could be restored next month after years of low water levels. The lake at Newcomen Terrace in Coatham, Redcar, has been undergoing repairs with test refills taking place over the and Cleveland Council said works were "progressing well" and they were hoping the restoration could be completed at the start of Model Boat Club treasurer Dale Patterson said there was "light in the end of the tunnel" and members were "quite happy" after previous false dawns. "There's been water in there for about a week now and it's still there," Mr Patterson said."It appears the repairs are working."It's been brilliant. The members have been enjoying themselves." The lake was emptied last September and repairs were carried out in the hope it could return to its former glory in the a test refill in April failed, prompting a fresh round of works to the 1930s Labour-run local authority said the deck and walls of the lake had been repaired after a section was isolated with a cofferdam."Repairs to the remainder of the lake are ongoing," a spokesperson said. "Once complete, the cofferdam will be removed and the remaining area filled, entering a further testing phase. All works remain on schedule." The lake has been blighted by low levels of water for more than three years, forcing members of Redcar Model Boat Club to race radio-controlled cars there Patterson said having water in the lake during the recent test refills had reignited interest in the club and there had been more visitors at the site."We use it all year around," he added. "We have even been breaking ice before." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Thrown-out food blamed after 22-inch rat found
Thrown-out food and new housing developments are being blamed for rats getting "bigger and bigger" after a 22-inch (55cm) long rodent was found in a house. It was discovered in Normanby near Middlesbrough and residents said an increase in vermin was being made worse by new housing projects forcing them out of their habitats. Conservative councillor David Taylor, of Eston ward, said fly-tipping and the large number of takeaways in the area was adding to the problem. Redcar and Cleveland Council has been approached for comment but previously said it did not provide pest control for non-council houses, but did offer advice to residents when possible. Taylor said: "We've had about five or six brand new housing estates taking up a lot of what is probably rat natural habitat so it's just driving them inwards to look for sources of food elsewhere. "They're going in the long grass to breed and then they're coming out to look for the food sources from takeaways." Conservative councillor Paul McInnes, of the Normanby ward, said it was not the first time residents had complained of "rats the size of cats". "Litter is a problem. With the amount of food that is available to them, they are getting bigger and bigger." Brian Sowerby, of Newton Aycliffe, has worked in pest control for 44 years and said the largest rat he had ever caught was 17 inches (43cm) long, also found in Normanby. He said: "Empty properties and development cause a big problem because when old sewers are dug up, the rats come to the surface and they've got to run somewhere." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Related stories 'Rats the size of dogs' outside rubbish-hit homes Related internet link Redcar and Cleveland Council
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Rats 'size of cats' getting bigger on discarded food in Normanby
Thrown-out food and takeaway waste are being blamed for making rats get "bigger and bigger" after a 22-inch (55cm) long rodent was found in a house. It was discovered in a home in Normanby near Middlesbrough and residents said an increase in vermin numbers was being made worse by new housing developments forcing them out of their habitats. Conservative councillor David Taylor, of Eston ward, said fly-tipping and the large number of takeaways in the area was adding to the and Cleveland Council has been approached for comment but previously said it did not provide pest control for non-council houses, but did offer advice to residents when possible. Taylor said: "We've had about five or six brand new housing estates taking up a lot of what is probably rat natural habitat so it's just driving them inwards to look for sources of food elsewhere."They're going in the long grass to breed and then they're coming out to look for the food sources from takeaways."Conservative councillor Paul McInnes, of the Normanby ward, said it was not the first time residents had complained of "rats the size of cats"."Litter is a problem. With the amount of food that is available to them, they are getting bigger and bigger." Brian Sowerby of Newton Aycliffe, has worked in pest control for 44 years and said the largest rat he had ever caught was 17 inches (43cm) long, also found in said: "Empty properties and development cause a big problem because when old sewers are dug up, the rats come to the surface and they've got to run somewhere." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Guardian
04-08-2025
- General
- The Guardian
‘Cat-sized' rat found in Teesside town puts focus on pest control cuts
Cuts to council pest control services are being blamed for a town's rodent problem, which includes the discovery of a supersize rat said to be 22in (56cm) from nose to tail. The giant rat, about the length of the carry-on luggage people might be wheeling on to a flight – or, if not on holiday, a desktop monitor – was found inside a resident's home in Normanby, Teesside. 'I had to do a double take when I saw a picture of it,' said Stephen Martin, a Conservative councillor on Redcar and Cleveland council. 'You can tell by the size of the bag that it's not a normal size. It's the size of a cat.' Martin, whose Eston ward is close to where the rat was removed by a pest controller, said it was not a one-off. 'Rats are being spotted more and more around our area. It has been getting worse for a few years now.' As with many cash-strapped local authorities, Redcar and Cleveland does not offer a pest control service to private residents. Its website says officers can offer free advice over the phone, 'however, the responsibility for taking action to solve a pest problem belongs to the occupant of the property'. But Martin said many people did not have the money to pay private pest control companies. He said the rat problem often began on council or housing association land 'but they're expecting private residents to sort it out'. There are also problems with people putting the wrong waste in recycling bins. 'Instead of actually taking the bins away they are just tagging them, making the resident know it's contaminated, and it is not getting emptied,' he said. 'There's more rubbish on the ground and it is attracting more rats and they are just getting bigger and bigger and bigger.' Fellow Eston councillor David Taylor said: 'I have seen a fair few rats but nothing the size of this one. My dog [a cockapoo] can often smell rats … I wouldn't like to think she was tackling that one.' Taylor said about five housing estates had been built in quick succession locally, which affected infrastructure and moved rats from fields to urban areas. Add to that the increase in takeaway food and fly-tipping and there was a perfect storm, which needed a coordinated approach, he said. 'The rats obviously lived in the sewers but they're now walking the streets. 'The problem is UK-wide and it needs to be sorted with a joint effort. It needs government, local councils, the water boards, private landlords, shops and businesses … all to come together.' Taylor said he understood money was tight at Redcar and Cleveland council but the problem would just get worse without action. Martin said many residents had been in touch to say they had spotted rats around bins, in alleyways and crossing the street. He was sent a further picture at the weekend of rat having a go at bins during the day. Martin and Taylor are calling for a full vermin survey and treatment plan across the borough. 'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get,' they said. A spokesperson for Redcar and Cleveland council said: 'The council has a dedicated pest control officer, who manages pest issues on council-owned land. While we no longer provide a wider pest control service, we do offer advice to residents where possible. 'The council continues to work with Beyond Housing, Northumbrian Water and other partners to address complex issues and explore potential solutions. 'There is also helpful guidance and preventive measures on our website to support people in dealing with pests.'
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Record-breaking' 22-inch rat size of a small cat found nesting at Teesside home
The discovery of a huge rat could be a sign of things to come unless action is taken to stem the burgeoning rodent population, councillors have warned. The potentially record-breaking rat in UK terms - said to measure approximately 22 inches long from nose to tail - was discovered recently in a property in Normanby by a pest controller that had been called to investigate. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has been told the dead mammal, a photograph of which has been shared on social media, had been nesting in the home. It has been likened to a 'sewer rat' and, while it is unknown how it accessed the property, rats had been reported in the area in back alleys nearby. In a Facebook post, Eston ward councillors David Taylor and Stephen Martin called on Redcar and Cleveland Council to get a grip of the problem, working with other agencies. They said they wanted to see a 'full vermin survey and treatment plan' implemented in council-owned areas across the borough and joint action also involving businesses, landlords and social housing providers. Cllr Taylor also described public bins in parts of Eston and Whale Hill 'overflowing', with shops, particularly takeaways, dumping items in them and providing 'easy food' for rodents. Overgrown vegetation on public land, providing hiding spaces for rats, was another aspect highlighted. He said the council had to take the problem seriously with sightings increasing. Rats can spread disease to humans and are also known to breed quickly. Cllr Taylor said: 'The longer this is ignored, the worse it will get. It is a growing problem.' He said the rat caught was 'massive', and likened to a small cat or dog, and he had been told by people working in pest control a typical sewer rat could get that big. As with many other local authorities, Redcar and Cleveland Council no longer offers a pest control solution to private householders, although it retains a full-time officer to tackle issues on council land. Meanwhile, not all social housing providers automatically offer such a service, or if they do it is only on a discretionary basis. Read more: Rival groups gather outside North East hotel as asylum housing protest begins Drug dealer who tossed phones from window as police raided home is jailed 47 pictures as rooftop-scaling acrobats balance on buildings to kick off SIRF25 Cllr Taylor praised the council's 'workforce on the ground doing an absolutely amazing job', but said more direction was needed from the top of the organisation on the matter. He said he accepted the extensive action being called for would 'cost a fortune', but the problem arising was also a health risk. He said: 'They'll keep multiplying and unless there is a big cull in the area, people will keep experiencing this.' A spokeswoman for the council said: "The council has a dedicated pest control officer who manages pest issues on council-owned land. While we no longer provide a wider pest control service, we do offer advice to residents where possible. 'The council continues to work with Beyond Housing, Northumbrian Water and other partners to address complex issues and explore potential solutions. There is also helpful guidance and preventative measures on our website to support people in dealing with pests."
