BOOM TOWN FOR RATS

RAT-INFESTED Glasgow has had more than 60,000 reports of the rodents in homes and streets.

- BY ELIZABETH HUNTER

Scotland's biggest city has been dubbed the "rat capital" with the biggest vermin problem population in the country and the third highest in the UK.

A trade union has called for a rat emergency in Glasgow amid fears warm summer weather could cause a further explosion in numbers across the city.

Chris Mitchell, cleansing convener of the GMB, said: "I have been very vocal in the past when it comes to this.

"Despite investment to bolster the number of street cleaners and cleansing workers, more needs to be done to get a grip on the rat crisis.

"When we have warmer weather, rats breed more frequently.

"It is a perfect storm; sunshine, food and overgrown areas that they can hide away in.

"I've been banging the drum on this problem for what feels like forever.

"My fear is it is moving increasingly into the city centre, all I hear from our members are reports of rats in bins, rats running about Glasgow's lanes and even some sightings in the flagship shopping spots.

"This is a big year for the city; we need to invest now to get this under control."

The number of rat sightings across Glasgow has been consistently rising each year with more than 60,000 reports since 2019, figures show.