Warning as pest control programme to deal with rodents begins

People using a popular County Down beach are being warned that a pest control programme to deal with rodents is beginning on Thursday.

Ards and North Down Borough Council have said that following growth in the rodent population at Millisle Beach, the programme will run for two to three weeks.

Poison bait will be used on the beach to target known burrows, the council said.

Signage has been put in place on the beach to advise the public and council officers will be visiting the site over the coming days to engage with beach users.

The council is advising the public to keep all pets on leads and under strict control at all times, on all parts of the beach.

People are also being asked to have children supervised at all times, to take food waste away with them and not to feed the birds.

The council said that in the case of accidental poisoning, people should contact an emergency department as soon as possible.

In the case of accidental poisoning of pets, people are being advised to contact their vet.

Tracy Carson is from the village, and is part of a community group helping to clear the beach and main footpath of weeds over the last number of weeks.

She said the vegetation growing along the shore has not been cut back since 2019, attracting litter and giving the rodents somewhere to hide.

“It’s a seaside village and our beach was always beautiful and attracted a lot of tourists but to come down and sit amongst this [the weeds], and the rats are just running freely,” she told BBC News NI.

She said more needs to be done to keep the beach free from plants growing, and bins emptied more often to keep the rats away.

“The rats are hiding in there, and then they’re just running back and forward and they’re feeding off it,” Ms Carson added.