A FORMER cleaner has claimed that Lakeside Shopping Centre is battling a rat infestation with vermin spotted “all over the site”.

Neil Murphy worked at the shopping centre until last month as cleaning team leader and insists he first alerted bosses to the presence of rats in June. 

He claims he found rats “all over the site” and surrounding the food hall on the third floor. 

When contacted by the Echo, Lakeside stated there “has been no issue with vermin in the food court”, but failed to respond to Mr Murphy’s wider concerns about rats.

Mr Murphy said: “I noticed the rat infestation the moment I started working for Lakeside back in June this year. I used to see dozens of rats a day at the back of the house on the food court and hundreds around the external perimeter of the site when doing patrols.

“I believe people should be aware of the huge rat infestation and more importantly the fact it’s on the food court where people go and eat.”

He alleges it was not his responsibility to deal with the infestation and his team were instructed by senior management to do so.

The former employee added the management team did not act on the situation despite being made aware ‘numerous times’.

Mr Murphy added: “This was not part of our job and we are not trained pest control technicians, nor were we supplied with any protective clothing when having to deal with these.

“Despite everyone knowing the dangerous diseases rats carry my health and safety were put into disregard. It became our responsibility to remove any vermin or dead rats off the site and it became a daily occurrence there.”

Neil provided photographs showing several dead rodents, some caught in electrical wiring and others laid out across the area.

He added: “I felt very disappointed and let down by this whole ordeal. As far as I’m aware, the problem still remains at the shopping centre.”

A spokesperson for Lakeside shopping centre commented: “We take health and safety at Lakeside very seriously.

  “We have stringent measures in place to protect against pests and there has been no issue with vermin in the food court.”