Claim that rats are continuing to plague Inverness neighbourhood
Sightings of rats in Culloden reported on social media have prompted a community leader to declare Highland Council has failed to properly tackle the issue.
The rats were reportedly spotted in the Culloden Avenue area by a local resident.
David McGrath, a member of Culloden Community Council, said it was an ongoing issue and he believed it was more recently linked to work on a nearby flood allevation scheme.
“This has been going on for a long time,” he said. “It isn’t a new problem.
"It has been reported repeatedly to Highland Council but they have never dealt with it properly.”
He said he suspected work which began last year on the flood prevention scheme at Culloden Park had disturbed the rats.
Mr McGrath also said an old agricultural culvert near Culloden House had never been properly upgraded, and also speculated that people dropping litter was encouraging rats.
Highland councillor Trish Robertson did not believe there was a major problem, but said she would inform the council’s environmental health staff.
“Rats have always been in that area,” she said. “You cannot completely eradicate them.
"Environmental health have been keeping an eye on it.”
