By Craig Manning

A SEACOMBE man is demanding local authority action to halt the march of the mice at his Shakespeare Road home.

Harry Blanchfield, 71, has caught 18 mice in his home within the last four months.

He said: "It's not very nice when you get up in the morning and there are mice running around your house or you see them caught in the traps."

Mr Blanchfield who has lived in the same house for 25 years, added: "I have often picked up a pan to cook some food and there's been a mouse sitting in it. We keep our house clean and can't understand why we're getting so many mice."

In a bid to stop more vermin invading his home, Mr Blanchfield has been forced to board up the air vents into his kitchen. He has also installed six mousetraps.

The problem, he disclosed, had spread to neighbouring roads. "My concern is that unless the council steps in and does something there's going to be a mouse epidemic in this neighbourhood," he said.

"I caught two more in my house on Thursday and my neighbour caught three the week before. I've been in touch with the council's pest control department who say they have had many complaints from people in nearby Lucerne Road and Geneva Road. Something needs to be done, before it gets even worse."

A spokesman for Wirral Council said: "An officer from the Environmental Health Team inspected the area after being made aware of Mr Blanchfield's concerns, and found that there was no evidence of a substantial vermin presence.

"Having met with Mr Blanchfield to discuss his concerns, the investigating officer arranged for letters to be distributed locally reaffirming the importance of appropriate methods of waste disposal and animal feeding.

"However due to a clerical error an inappropriate version of a standardised pest control advice letter was issued.

"The letter erroneously claimed the area was experiencing rodent problems and that rodenticidal treatment was planned. This is untrue.

"Wirral Pest Control Service will be happy to provide Mr Blanchfield with any and all advice available to help him tackle his alleged rodent problem."