An investigation has revealed Wigan pest controllers were called out thousands of times in just 12 months
Pest controllers were called out thousands of times to deal with infestations of rats, cockroaches, bedbugs and other creatures in Wigan, an investigation has revealed.
Shocking data obtained from Wigan Council using the Freedom of Information Act has uncovered the extent of the borough’s pest problem.
Its pest control team carried out 4,760 visits in the 2024-25 financial year, while a further 199 were cancelled, they failed to gain access on 497 occasions and 710 cases were initiated but not completed.
The most prolific problem was rats, which were found inside properties at 1,357 visits and outside at 1,024 visits.
One estimate suggests there are 150m rats in the UK and they can cause significant structural damage to homes by gnawing under floorboards, within stud walls and drywall linings, or by making holes in loft insulation which can cause condensation and rot
They can also chew through plastic pipes, leading to damp or flooding, chew through electrical cables and carry diseases such as salmonella and listeria, which can easily spread to humans.
The data also reveals there were 1,524 visits involving mice, 283 with ants, 245 with fleas, 198 with wasps, 49 with carpet beetles, 43 with cockroaches and 37 with bed bugs.
Despite the concerning number of pest incidents, there were actually 24.5 per cent fewer visits in 2024-25 than the year before.
In 2023-24, there were 6,301 visits, as well as 171 cancellations, 597 incidents of failed access and 692 cases initiated but not completed.
Rats and mice were again the main pests found.
The top three areas for reports of pests remained the same in both 2023-24 and 2024-25, with Pemberton topping the table, followed by Atherton and Douglas ward. Last year there were 542 reports in Pemberton, 482 in Atherton and 397 in Douglas.
The fewest incidents in both years came from Winstanley, with 70 in 2024-25.
Wigan Council offers pest control to council house tenants as part of their rent, and also provides the service for businesses, commercial properties and schools. It is not available to private tenants, landlords or home owners.
It deals with ants, Australian spider beetle, biscuit beetle also known as bread beetle, bed bugs, carpet beetle and larvae (woolly bears), cockroaches, fleas, flying insects, mice, rats and wasps. It does not provide treatment for bees.