The rat population of Cambridgeshire is rising fast, probably helped by lockdown says local experts.
Data by Pest.co.uk reveals that Ely, in 2020, is home to 44,439 rats, an increase of nearly 10,000 from last year.
Jenny Rathbone of Pest.co.uk said: “We are seeing a huge increase in rat problems throughout Cambridgeshire.
“Lockdown has helped them breed in relative peace with closed properties with poor waste management practices providing them with plentiful food and shelter.”
The rat population in Cambridge is nearing 300,000 and it is thought there are 2.2 rats for every person in the city.
Andy Fretwell of Fenman Pest Control said: “It seems over the last two years that the rat population is getting out of hand.
“I think the increase is because we’ve had two mild winters; a hard bitter winter will kill off a lot of the youngsters.
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