A North Baddesley couple have told of ten-years of horror living with rats in their garden and claimed the council is "not doing enough" to sort the issue.

Valerie and Colin Sheppard, 83 and 90 respectively, have spent the last 11 years trying to fend off their property on Crescent Road from rats that have infested the home next door.

The couple have installed four CCTV cameras, called out more pest control experts than they can remember and sent countless emails to Test Valley Borough Council.

Issues first started in 2014 when rats began emerging from a broken-down car and garage next to the Sheppard’s home.

Valerie said: “We first realised there was a problem back in 2014 when we saw a rat sat in the middle of our back garden path – it was there so long I was able to get my camera and take a picture before it ran off.

“Test Valley Brough Council finally came out in 2016, boarded up the garage and told us - the rats are all gone.”

Rats have plagued the couple for more than 10 years Rats have plagued the couple for more than 10 years (Image: Submitted) READ MORE: Travellers set up camp near Southampton sports ground

In the nine years since, the couple have been "pushed from pillar to post" trying to get the council to take some action against the neighbour.

Crescent Road Crescent Road (Image: NQ) The grandmother of nine continued: “My husband Colin is 90 and suffers from heart and lung problems – the only pleasure he gets is looking after the garden, but I fear for his health.

“This has all gone on for 11 years now – we can’t go on like this.

“We are at our wits end – the two of us have lived here for 26 years and came here for Colin’s health, now I fear the garden will make us ill.

“The council have failed us – at every turn they have attempted to shift blame onto someone else and not deal with the rats."

A council spokesperson said: “We regret that Ms Sheppard is unhappy with our response.

"We have done all we can to respond to allegations of a rat infestation in this area multiple times since 2016.

"While there has been evidence of some level of rat activity during this time, this is not in itself evidence of an infestation in the immediate area.

“Low levels of rat activity are not unusual in and around towns and villages. 

“We will continue to investigate any allegations.”