Scared grandma has to sleep in the car after rats invaded every room in her house

Paula Cooper claims she cannot sleep or eat in her own home as rats have infested almost every room in the council bungalow in Braunstone, Leicester

A terrified grandmother claims she was forced to sleep in her car and can no longer cope with a “vicious” infestation of rats that has infested almost every room in her bungalow.

Paula Cooper moved into her council-owned bungalow on Hockley Farm Road, Braunstone, Leicester, in October last year and soon found she wasn’t the only resident. Leicestershire Live Reports.

The granny realized she was living with rats after three months and reported the pests to Leicester City Council.

She claims the council’s environmental health team visited the bungalow and took action, but the pests have not gone away.

Ms Cooper said: “They blocked all the holes on the outside so nothing can get in, but I still have them in the attic.

“You can hear them running up and down the walls and there’s rat droppings everywhere.

“They chewed up all my rug on the back of my sofa. They nest under my TV.

“They chewed through my TV’s power cord. They chewed through my antenna cable.

“I’ll get them in the bathroom, in the kitchen, just everywhere, ” She added.

“I have rat poo in the back of my bathtub, rat poo in the kitchen.

“The only place I haven’t seen one is in my bedroom, but I still won’t sleep there just in case. I’m so afraid.

“I’m not staying at home. There were nights I slept in the car because of it.

“I slept with my friends and my daughter because of that. I feel bad every day.

“I go into the bungalow and think, ‘The rats were outside, I can smell it.’ It’s mean.”

Ms Cooper claims the agency’s environmental health team set a rat trap but said it made no difference.

Ms Cooper, who suffers from depression and anxiety, as well as fibromyalgia, asthma and arthritis, said the situation left her feeling isolated and unable to cope.

She said: “My bungalow stinks, I don’t like it when someone is in for the smell so I’m basically on my own.

“I don’t want my grandchildren in my bungalow. I have a three year old granddaughter.

“I can’t even have her visit because of the situation. Nobody will come to visit.

“My depression is skyrocketing, my nerves are just at their limit. I just don’t know what to do, I can’t anymore. I don’t eat, I don’t sleep.

“I have something on my hands now that keeps popping up as little red bumps. I’ve bought every poison you can get, I’ve bought rat traps. It’s just more than a joke now.”

One of Ms Cooper’s granddaughters, Rhianna, wrote to the local newspaper expressing concern for her grandmother’s health and well-being.

She said: “She absolutely loved moving into her bungalow but now she’s afraid to sleep at all [there]. She’s been nauseous ever since the rats came in, recently had an eye infection and now have blisters on her hands.

“My grandmother shouldn’t have to live like this and should be able to enjoy her life carefree. [She] doesn’t know where to go next to ask for help.”

Ms Cooper added that since going to the press, the council have been in touch with her to further discuss the situation.

A Leicester City Council spokesman said: “We understand Ms Cooper’s situation and are working to resolve it, including visiting her home to discuss the options available to her.