Gaer mum 'scared' of rampant rats which ruined hot tub

Lucy Hennessy, 42, lives on Ben Jonson Way in the Gaer with two of her daughters and dog Figaro.

Since her first sighting a year ago, she has caught a number of the rodents roaming across her garden on CCTV and spent more than £300 on Rentokil services.

She believes they are nesting in one neighbour’s garden and visiting a “mound” of bin bags in another garden for food.

Ms Hennessy says there is consistently a 'mound' of bin bags in her neighbour's garden (Image: Lucy Hennessy)

In an effort to keep the pests at bay, the Royal Gwent nurse has extended her fence, concreted over flowerbeds and installed two ultrasonic plug-in devices in every room which claim to work as a deterrent.

“You just try everything because you don’t know what else to do,” she said. “No one seems to be listening.”

The nurse has installed two ultrasonic devices in every room which seem to work as a deterrent (Image: Lucy Hennessy)

Last summer, she even took the difficult decision to remove her hot tub from the garden as a particularly “fast and furious” onslaught of rats chewed through the wires.

The family’s Yorkshire terrier, Figaro, has also apparently been bitten by one of the pests.

Yorkshire terrier Figaro has apparently been bitten by one of the rats (Image: Lucy Hennessy)

“He will dig where he thinks the rats are and he’s so knackered from it,” said Ms Hennessy. “It’s pitiful and I’m worried what the neighbours think.”

A spokesperson for Newport City Homes told the Argus they are working to alleviate the “pest control issue” on Ben Jonson Way.

'Scared'

Ms Hennessy, who now owns the house on the same street where she lived as a baby, says she is "too scared" to put rubbish outside her house so uses her father's bin instead.

“I thought let’s just eliminate everything the rats will come for," she said.

"But they don’t go. It’s got worse and worse. My wheelie bin is all empty and they’ve chewed through my neighbour’s.

'It's got worse and worse' despite the family's efforts (Image: Lucy Hennessy)

“I stopped my daughter from playing in the garden - initially thinking it was a short term measure.

“We have kept every window and door shut and this has had such a negative effect on her and our dog.

“She used to play with my neighbour’s little girl out on the trampoline or in the hot tub but obviously it’s unsafe.”

Ms Hennessy has stopped her daughter from playing outside as it in unsafe (Image: Lucy Hennessy)

Her daughter, sharing the family's problems on Facebook, has even been disparagingly called a "Karen" - a derogative term used to describe someone who seems entitled.

A Newport City Homes spokesperson said: "We are aware of a pest control issue at Ben Jonson Way, Gaer, and we are working with our customers and community to alleviate this issue.

“Pest infestations are the responsibility of the customer. However, if the infestation is as a result of a structural issue, Newport City Homes will take responsibility for resolving the issue.

“If the infestation is in a communal area shared with other customers, Newport City Homes will take responsibility for resolving the issue.

“If the infestation is determined to be a customers’ responsibility, and the customer has failed to take all reasonable action to prevent or resolve the problem, Newport City Homes would seek to recover all costs in resolving the issue."

Newport City Council has been approached for comment.