Sean Whelan of HPC247 Whelan Pest Control said he has seen an 85 per cent increase in rat callouts this year in the city.

The 59-year-old has questioned whether council cutbacks have impacted the city’s rodent problem - but the council said any reports would be 'thoroughly investigated'.

Sean Whelan (Image: Submitted) Sean, who has run his business for 27 years, said: “This is the worst I have ever seen in the city.

“There are rats everywhere – the council have failed in their duty to protect people’s public health.

“Hoglands Park for example – the place is swimming with rats. The situation is no different in areas such as Bitterne, Shirley, Portswood and Northam."

The 59-year-old claimed he was taking calls for work in areas normally serviced by the council - and said more bait needed to be put out in the city's parks as this is where they breed and why there were spreading into suburban areas.

But the council said there is tight legislation which means it 'cannot randomly or pre-emptively bait areas' and this would be a last resort.

Sean said: “I have customers on the phone to me in tears – so many council tenants have been let down by the city council.

“Coupled with the bin situation during the first months of the year – I have never seen a situation in Southampton quite like this.”

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A change in binmen's working practices in January led to a backlog of bin collections that took months to clear, with some residents claiming their bins had not been emptied in weeks.

Sherry Brett, 68, from Lundy Close, Lordshill, was one of them.

She previously told the Echo: “We are frightened for our health – we have rats and maggots just a few feet away from where we live.

“Even in a heatwave, I have not been able to sit in the garden once this year, the smell coming from the bin is unbearable."

HPC247 Whelan Pest Control in action (Image: Submitted) Northam resident Mark Crosby lives in Forth House, which has been plagued by rats. They even chewed through the electrical wires in his car earlier this year.

He said the infestation on his estate was as bad as ever: “I’m not at all surprised to hear that Sean’s callouts for rats have gone up so much.

“This is a matter of public safety and the council seem happy to let us residents fend for ourselves.

“Southampton’s rat infestation has gone on for too long – its time for the city council to take it seriously.”

The city council's response

Councillor Toqeer Kataria 

In response to the claims made by Sean and Mark, Toqeer Kataria, the Southampton City Council cabinet member who oversees pest control, said: "The Council provides a comprehensive pest control function, which includes surveys of council-owned land when rat sightings or reports of rats increase.

"The legislation in place means that the Council cannot randomly or pre-emptively bait areas. We work to consider and understand the environmental impact, the practicalities and the health, safety and wellbeing of the public, and need to be able to demonstrate clear reasons for baiting.

"Any use of baiting will be the last course of action after all other options have been exhausted, such as removing food sources or harbourage.

"If food sources have been reduced or removed from council-owned open spaces, rats will move to other areas to search for food, these may be domestic or business properties.

"Any infestations that have been identified and reported to the Council, will be thoroughly investigated."