People are being advised not to leave food lying around in a bid to halt a huge increase in mice and rats.

There have been a number of sightings of rats and mice in the Ilkley, Aireborough, Horsforth, Otley and Bramhope districts.

And Steven Tate, a pest control officer with Sure Kill Pest Control Services, said there had been a rise in calls to deal with rats and mice throughout the Leeds area.

He said: "At the moment we're getting seven or eight calls a week just for rats, compared to say one a fortnight last year and even less than that the year before.

"For mice we're getting about 20 queries a week, whereas it was about 11 last year.

"I think there are a whole load of reasons for it - rats and mice are living off us more and more, more rubbish is being left out, there are more restaurants and more houses are being built on what used to be Green Belt land which is disturbing them.''

Rats have been seen on a public car park in Springfield Road, Guiseley. Jim Smith, of Springfield Road, said rats had been seen near discarded take-away food and empty cartons on the car park and others had been seen on a road behind his home.

"A pest control officer has been to the car park and the nearby railway embankment to deal with the problems," he said.

Shortly before Christmas, Ruth Laughey, of Wharfedale Textiles, Otley Road, said she had seen a number of rats on the car park opposite the shop where she worked.

Coun Chris Townsley (Lib Dem) said he had reported sightings of rats in the Victoria Mount and Sunnybank Avenue areas of Horsforth.

Derek Jackson, of Victoria Mount, said he had seen rats on some land at the back of his property.

"This land was used by people running a car sales business but they have since left. They left behind quite a lot of rubbish, dirt and waste and this had attracted the rats.

Rats have also been seen at Yeadon Dam and on nearby allotments but rat catchers are keeping the problem at the dam under control.

A spokesman for Rentokil Initial said: "It is at this time of year when rats start to put in an appearance when food from their normal habitat has dried up. They usually live on seeds, berries and cereals." He advised the public not to leave discarded food and other rubbish in public places.

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