FREAKED-OUT families near Dunfermline’s town-centre Tesco are asking who’s to blame for several rats spotted in their garden over the last week. 

The Press reported last month that the rodents had been found scurrying around cars in the Tesco car park but a store spokesperson said the matter was being dealt with.

Brian and Margaret McLaren’s garden backs onto Winterthur Lane beside Tesco and say they’ve seen several rats since last Saturday climbing over their fence. 

Brian, 71, said: “I heard that rats had been spotted and Tesco’s were dealing with it but are they killing them or just chasing them away? I understand that they’ll be near because of where we live but I don’t want them in my back garden.

“There are a lot of kids on Foundry Street and we have had to warn our neighbours.

“No-one wants them but they’ve got to try to eradicate them properly.”
Residents say that Foundry Street has had problems before with rodents when Thomsons World of Furniture was knocked down to make way for the new Tesco building.

Margaret McLaren, 70, said: “It was really scary last time because it became so bad, they spread everywhere. They came all the way up to David Henderson Court. I just don’t want to see them!

“I am terrified of them and I just scream and run when I see them. They’re not actually coming under the fence but climbing over and through the trees. If I tell my grandchildren though they won’t come over!”

As the McLarens spoke to the Press they confirmed they could actually see two rats sitting on their bird feeder at the time of the conversation. 

Fife Council said it was the responsibility of the home owner to deal with vermin on their property but they would take issue with Tesco if they weren’t dealing with the problems properly. 

A Tesco spokesman said: “We take complaints about pests extremely seriously and will work with our specialist contractors to investigate the concerns raised.”