A PEST control expert has warned that "everyone in Bolton has a rat problem" as he offered advice on how people can take action against the rodents.

Andy Hetherington has been tackling pests for nearly 20 years and has seen the problem of rats increase in that time.

He currently runs Pestrap, which works in Bolton, Bury, and other surrounding areas.

He said: "They can get in the walls and the gardens very easily. In new builds, that can be due to the quality of the material - they can be an absolute nightmare when they get into buildings.

"I have heard of rats finding their way into babies cots and jumping out on to a woman's face. I have had more rat callouts last year than I ever have before. They just seem to keep coming. Everyone in Bolton has a rat problem, that's what I think."

He has even had people from London calling him asking for advice - as well as one woman who asked him to come back every week to deal with an ongoing infestation.

Andy said that flytipping and litter were certainly not helping the problems, as any waste food can attract the rodents, while large masses of plastic and wood can provide ample shelter for them during the cold months.

He added that he didn't believe that council bait was effective enough against rats - calling it "weak" and saying that he has been to sort jobs out and found bait that he been there for months.

Rats can eat through concrete and other tough materials, with Andy warning that many common garden appliances can be attracting them.

He said: "Don't use bird feeders or decking. If you have got those things, you are asking for trouble and I am 100 per cent sure that you will get rats.

"If you have a loft too, make sure you get them checked. People don't think rats can get up that high but they really can and love the warmth of a loft. They know when you go out and what your routine is - that's how they get away with it."