A MOTORIST was forced to fork out £600 to repair his car after a rat chewed through a vital part.
Mark Cosby, 50, complained about the rat infestation that terrorises his neighbourhood after they chomped through the wiring of his vehicle.
GettyThe rats sneaked under the bonnet and built a nest inside the car[/caption]
Rats have chewed through the car wires and cut it off its electricitySolent
A man had to pay £600 to fix the issue as the pests terrorise his neighbourhoodSolent
Up to 20 rodents have been spotted at once running around the areaSolent
The rodents sneaked into the manifold of Cosby’s 1.6-litre Ford Focus and built their nest inside.
They then chewed all of the wires under the bonnet, cutting off the electricity of the car.
The driver was left without brake lights and headlights, and had no choice but to pay up £600 to fix the problem.
He had to since install a £40 “rat alarm” to prevent the pests from damaging his car any further.
The alarm sends out a high-pitched sound that only the rodents can hear.
The smart purchase off Ebay has helped to keep the rats at bay and Cosby said he hasn’t seen any rat droppings on his motor since buying the device.
But he urged the local council to deal with the persisting problem as the pests plagued his whole neighbourhood, turning it into a nightmare.
The residents in Northam, Southampton have been complaining about the animals that have excavated over 100 burrows around the estate, and up to 20 of them have been spotted at once.
They’ve left droppings all over the grass and dug out a network of trenches.
The locals claim that the rats aren’t scared of people anymore and it has become impossible to go outside in summer.
Cosby said: “It’s horrendous, it really is. I have had to pay out £600 to get my car electrics done because they chewed through all my wires.”
“The rats are running around whether there are people there or not.
“They’re in and out of the bins and just all over the place. One even jumped out of the bin onto my shoulder.”
He admitted that he has to avoid sitting in the communal garden during warm days as there are just “too many” rats running around.
Cosby added: “It’s like a horror story, but we are having to live with it. They are just not afraid of humans anymore and they’re coming out in the day.
“They are scurrying throughout the day, scurrying throughout the night.
“We watch and complain, watch and complain to the council. Whatever the [council] are doings, it’s not working.”
A spokesperson for Labour-controlled Southampton City Council reassured that they are tackling the issue.
In a statement, they said: “Our Pest Control, Housing and Waste teams have been working in partnership over the last few years to tackle the issue of rats on the Northam Estate.
“There have been various baiting programmes in place and colleagues continue to investigate ways of eliminating this issue. Our teams will continue to update residents at regular neighbourhood walkabouts and forums.”
Experts have warned drivers about the record rise in rodents wrecking havoc on cars.
The RAC went over the figures and saw the number of issues rose by a massive 55 per cent since 2018.
They noted the problems get worse as the seasons change, and urged motorists to bare that in mind.
This year rats have been the biggest issue and tend to gnaw on fuel hoses, infest engine bays and damage headlights.
One estate was being terrorised by foot-long super-rats that destroy cars.
The residents complained that not enough measures have been taken to drive the rats outSolent
The rats have excavated up to 100 burrows around the estateSolent”}]]