A WOMAN who has had to kill rats in her garden twice in the past two months claims the council has no idea of the true scale of the rodent problem in Oxford.

Dr Gillie McNeill, who has lived in Bateman Street, Headington, for the past eight years, said this was the first time she had seen rats at her home - and said she believed the controversial fortnightly rubbish collection mightbe to blame.

Dr McNeill, 65, said: "I see them hopping across the lawn in the day time. This is bad news.

"When I went to the local hardware shop to buy rat poison, three or four other people said they had problems with rats, too."

She believed the council did not know the true extent of the problem.

Dr McNeill said: "In the old days, if you had rats you phoned the council and the rat man came but people don't do that anymore, so the council doesn't get that feedback. So I don't think the council has any idea how bad it is."

She was also concerned that compost bins were making "lovely warm homes" for rats - and said she had found rats in her bin and they had managed to gnaw a hole through the side.

Dr McNeill said student houses were often surrounded by black rubbish bags and she believed this could be attracting the vermin.

Jean Fooks, executive member for a cleaner city at the council, said: "We keep saying that the council service is free, therefore we rather expect that most people will come to us first.

"The number of calls we have received is actually down compared to last year.

"We want to be told about rats because we'd like to keep an eye on things. But there is no evidence whatsoever that changes to rubbish collections have made things worse."

She added: "There have been black rubbish bags left around for many years and we precisely don't want them left there which is why we are providing bins and if it's a student house, we will provide them with a larger bin."