COUNCIL cutbacks are leading to an increase of rats in Dolgellau, it is being claimed.

Speaking at a Dolgellau town council meeting, Cllr Jo Checkley expressed her worry after receiving several complaints from local residents and businesses over rodents around the town.

Cllr Checkley said: “It was about two weeks ago that someone drew attention to a dead rat on Bridge Street, it was a big one.

It seems to be becoming an increasing issue in the town, with more and more people telling me about rat problem over recent years. There are properties where residents can hear them scurrying around, sometimes in the walls.

It may be that the council collecting rubbish every three weeks has made the issue worse, I don’t know.”

Cllr Checkley said that Gwynedd Council had in the past baited local sewers in an attempt to stem the rodent numbers in the town, but this service has been suspended according to the councillor.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: "We are not aware of any significant problems relating to rats since the changes to the residual waste collection arrangements.”

Read the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News