Ref. 15223-1A BINGE-DRINKING culture is being blamed for a surge in the rat population but Swindon Council say they have the problem under control.

Campaigners warn that Britain's streets could be plagued by vermin infestations if people continue to dump their rubbish irresponsibly.

They say the impact of the messy aftermath of the festive season could cause a boom in the burgeoning rodent population.

Keep Britain Tidy predicted problems would be caused by litter and discarded food from takeaways and overflowing household rubbish bags.

But Swindon Council spokesman Gavin Calthrop said the town's refuse department was winning the battle against litterbugs.

"There have been no reported increase of rats in the Swindon area," he said.

"We do regular town centre sweeps and collections and our refuse collectors work hard over the festive period, as they do throughout the year, to make sure it doesn't become a problem."

Alan Woods, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy said, nationally, fast food rubbish has increased by 50 per cent in the last three years and he expects it to be at its height until the end of the festive season.

"Since it's holiday season, there'll be fewer street cleaners to clean-up after them so expect rodents to make their way out of the sewers and the shadows to dine out on kebabs, pizzas, chips and burgers louts leave behind," he said.

Research showed nationally the brown rat population had swelled by 29 per cent since 1988, with an estimate one rat for every person in Britain.

"There are 150 million cards, six million trees and 750 million extra bottles among out post-Christmas garbage leaving bins bursting and millions of bags full of foodstuff left lying around," Mr Woods.

"This is a recipe for a rat plague, the like of which we haven't seen for years."

Meanwhile licensing minister, Richard Caborn, has warned that kebab shops, burger bars and hotdog vans could, from this year, be shut down if they are attracting alcohol-fuelled violence and rowdy behaviour after the pubs have closed.

Swindon Council say, in partnership with the police, they would look at enforcing new laws on any problem takeaways under new licensing legislation which is due to be introduced later this year.

Soulman Ahmed, 35, of Pizza 4U in Victoria Road said: "I welcome the powers to help get rid off badly-run businesses."

Ben Payne