AN invasion of rats has been sweeping across Erskine, with terrified residents reporting some rodents “as big as cats.”

The unwelcome guests have been spotted in the Portessie, Maxwell Drive and Barwood Drive areas of town.

Dead rats have also been seen near the new Bargarran Primary School, where building work was recently completed.

Jacqui Payne is among the residents who are calling for action.

She said: “We heard them through the walls last week, then a hole appeared a few days later.

“We have been putting poison down but I’m scared to go into the kitchen at night.

“I thought they were coming in from the fields but environmental health have been out and advised they have come up through the pipes which run down the street.

“l don’t sleep well at the best of nights but I’m getting even less now.”

Another resident, who did not want to be named, added: “While they aren’t in our house, I have seen three so far and they have all been huge.

“My neighbour up the street had a dead one under her decking and my other neighbour had one in her garden.

“We got environmental out and they put poison down.”

Jacqui Reid, chair of the Community Action for Erskine group, is also monitoring the situation.

She told The Gazette: “The council needs to concentrate its efforts on finding a solution for the many homes in Erskine that are still reliant on black bag collections.

“There have been a number of reports of rats in the area and several people have had pest control out.

“Given the heightened concerns raised, they hope the issue in Erskine is resolved as soon as possible.”

Councillor Tom Begg, who represents Erskine and Inchinnan, said a number of residents have raised the rat problem with him.

He added: “If this is down to lack of cleanliness in the area, it must be dealt with quickly.”

A Renfrewshire Council spokeswoman said the local authority has not had “significant reports” of vermin at the school site or the surrounding area.

She added: “We will investigate any reports made to us.

“A pest control operative has visited the site and we will continue to monitor the area and take any action accordingly.”