A PARTIALLY sighted woman who spends at least an hour every day litter picking said she is “disgusted” at the state of her community after discovering dead rats.

Angela O’Neill, who lives in sheltered accommodation in Winklebury, volunteers her time picking up litter from the streets near her home every day, but said the problem is too big for her to tackle alone.​

She said she has repeatedly asked Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Network Rail to clear the litter from Winlebury playing fields and along the railway track behind the Leisure Centre, but said so far nothing has been done.

Basingstoke Gazette: A partially sighted woman almost trod on a dead rat while litter picking

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The 50-year-old, who is partially sighted, was disgusted when she nearly trod on a dead rat while out litter picking.

“I litter pick for an hour to an hour-and-a-half every day. It gets so bad sometimes, I clear beer cans and nappies. I want to live in a clean and healthy environment and they [the borough council] keep promising me it will be done and it never happens,” she said.

She added: “They say I’m expecting too much. I do a lot of work litter picking but I’m putting my health at risk. Outside the Winklebury playing fields I nearly trod on a dead rat.

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“I’m very annoying. I’m fuming and upset that it’s not getting sorted. They are not cleaning it up. It’s disgusting the amount of litter I have to pick up,” Angela said, adding: “It’s not acceptable. I’m sick to death. It’s not acceptable to have rats running around, there is a huge rat problem.”

As previously reported in the Gazette, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council said it is “working to bring the issue under control” regarding rats at the Leisure Park after rodents were spotted outside the McDonald’s and KFC restaurants.

A spokesperson for the council said in November: “The council is aware of rat activity in this part of the Leisure Park and has been working with businesses and Hampshire County Council to bring the issue under control.”

A council spokesperson said: "The Winklebury playing fields are well used by people for recreation or as a route to and from the leisure park, so our teams clear litter there twice a week, as part of the regular cleaning schedule.

There are a several litter bins in the playing fields and in the Leisure Park. We are looking at adding an extra bin on the edge of the Leisure Park to encourage people not to drop litter.

"Our community safety patrol officers regularly patrol the area to deter people dropping litter. Residents can report litter to us via our website https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/report-litter."