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Petrified parents are scared of letting their children play outside their homes where a plague of giant, mutant 'super rats' are making their lives hell.

Residents say the 'super' rodents, which are immune to poison, are crawling into car engines and gnawing through brake cables, putting their lives at risk.

And they're now begging their council for help after the disease-carrying creatures made their gardens unsafe for kids to play in, they say.

More than 100 householders in Howard Street, Baker Street and Anstey Road, Reading, Berks, are demanding urgent action from their local authority.

They will hand a petition to Reading Borough Council tomorrow.

(Image: Wessex)

The families say the giant rat problems have spiralled out of control this year.

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The petition says rats are "seen daily" in the streets and in "back gardens which have been rendered unsafe for children and families to use".

It adds that the rodents are "nesting in cars parked in the streets" and that the animals are "chewing through wires causing costly repairs".

And they want action before someone dies in a "killer rat" road tragedy.

Residents say the rodents are crawling up inside the engine compartments of parked cars and gnawing the brake cables.

They fear people will not spot the damage and will skid and crash.

(Image: Wessex)

One woman's car failed its MOT after a rodent bit through parts of the engine, they claim.

Worse still, they are afraid the creatures are 2ft long mutant rats, which have been colonising in many parts of Britain and are immune to modern-day poisons.

Families say they see the rodents on a daily basis and dread their food has been "poo-bombed" and urinated on by the germ-carrying pests.

Richard Rowlands, of Baker Street Area Neighbourhood Association, said "It is horrific because you just feel the food you have in your own home could be contaminated.

"You have to check every packet before you use it. I cannot put things in normal cupboards for fear the rats will get at it."

(Image: Wessex)

Mr Rowlands, of Anstey Road, told how the rats had been gnawing parked motors in the street, in driveways and even in people's garages.

He added: "Recently a resident's car failed its MOT because rats had gnawed through the pipes and she is now afraid to even park in that area."

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Councillor Liz Terry, the lead member for neighbourhoods, believes the layout of the homes provided plenty of ways for the rats to get in.

And the age and condition of the sewer network linking toilets where the rats creep and sniff is adding to the problem.

She said "Officers have contacted Thames Water and asked them to investigate parts of the surface and foul sewer network.

"Unfortunately a full investigation has yet to be completed by Thames Water and we are therefore unable to update you on what action has been taken."

(Image: Wessex)

She plans to take remedial action but says the council is limited by budget cuts.

A spokesman for Thames Water said "We're working with Reading Borough Council, but our initial investigations suggested that sewer baiting would not help with the above ground issues.

"We have since agreed to carry out another inspection to see if there is any more we can do to help residents."

The residents' petition says: "We understand that Reading Borough Council, as the local public health authority, has no policy for dealing with a street-wide situation of this magnitude where the source of the rat problems appears to be multiple and not confined to any single identified property.

"The environmental health officer advises that local sewers are known to be the ultimate source if most urban rat infestations and that rats escape into the community through broken or poorly maintained drains."

(Image: Daily Mirror)

Residents are appealing to the council to work with Thames Water to establish the source of the infestation and take action to wipe out the rats.

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The petition adds: "For our part, we recognise the importance of not attracting rats by careless disposal of food waste and other refuse.

"We will be doing all we can in our community to discourage food waste deposits in the street and in gardens and to promote proper and responsible use of the waste bins."

The council's duty under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 is to carry out inspections, destroy rats on its own land and enforce the duties of owners and occupiers where their land is infested.

Coun Terry says the council "cannot work in isolation to reduce rat populations" and has to get the co-operation of people living in the area.

Council officers have already contacted Thames Water which is carrying out a sewer baiting programme.

After the first two weeks of baiting, Thames Water says sewer repair work is under way.

Watch giant rat jump at camera as huge rodent tries to escape from wheelie bin :

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