THIS is the scale of the infestation of rats that have forced one of Hampshire’s most popular attraction to close.

Bosses at Royal Victoria County Park have shut Sophie’s Pond due to an invasion of the rodents.

Hundreds of families flood to the scenic Royal Victoria Country Park every weekend to see a host of wildlife, walk their dogs and to feed the ducks.

But families were left disappointed last week when Hampshire County Council decided to close one of the parks best-loved areas.

Sophie’s Pond has been closed off until further notice.

These photographs taken by a visitor show the scale of the problem environmental health chiefs are facing despite issuing a notice urging visitors to stop feeding bread to the ducks as its attracting rats.

Cllr Andrew Gibson, member for culture, recreation and countryside, said that closing Sophie’s Pond is a temporary measure and that the rat infestation has been caused by both a mild winter and bread left by visitors.

Hampshire and IOW Wildlife Trust said that a high number of rats has the potential spread disease among other wildlife – affecting birds, fish and water in the pond.

A spokesman said: “Large numbers of rats can mean that chicks and duck eggs are taken from duck nests.

“Feeding bread to the ducks will make the water quality of the pond poorer as the bread will sink and feed the fish – the more pond fish in the pond means more faeces and a poorer water quality for the animals.

“If the rats urinate in the water it could affect the ducks but it would be more dangerous to humans because of diseases carried in rat urine.”

“Weil’s disease is a particularly nasty disease from rat urine that can affect humans.”

Southampton pest control expert Sean Whelan has contacted the country park with an offer to get rid of the rats for free.

He said: “People do need to stop feeding the ducks bread but that isn’t going to get rid of the rats.

“Once they are in, they are in. I hope the council are assessing humane methods for getting rid of them.”

Visitors to the 200 acre beauty spot are hoping the pond will be re-opened quickly.

Mum Kelly Hunt, 36, self employed from Woolston visits the pond regularly and said that she has noticed an increase of rats at the pond for the past five months.

She said: “Over the last 4-5 months the increase of rats has grown rapidly making us a family very worried for other families who attend and for the wildlife at the pond.

“I’m pleased the council have shut the pond to deal with the pests, but its educating others that the ducks don’t need that amount of bread and anything left over will only feed the rats – the rats may run away but you don’t know what they leave behind.

“Let’s hope the pond is delt with quickly so everyone can enjoy it again.”

But air hostess Yasmin Trent, 21, from Hedge End who regularly visits the park with her boyfriend, added: “I don’t understand why they would close the pond off from rats? Rats are everywhere? They are not doing any harm.
“It was extremely frustrating that we tried to go there Saturday night and the pond was shut off.”

When the Daily Echo approached the president of the Friends of Royal Victoria Country Park for the second time, he again refused to comment and hung up the phone.