RESIDENTS living on one of "Britain's grottiest streets" are fuming at a trash mountain so big it can be seen from space.
The rat-infested scrap heap has been blighting homeowner's lives since being abandoned along Deykin Road, in Aston, Birmingham, back in 2021.
Locals say fly-tippers have repeatedly added to the 100 metre of stretch of alleyway over the last two years causing them to fear for their safety.
The stinking 7ft tall piles now stretches almost as far as the eye can see and contains car parts, mattresses, fridges, beds, sofas and other household waste.
Residents say they now worry the festering mound – which can be seen on Google Maps satellites – could catch fire and explode.
And they claim the problem has become so bad that they cannot access their houses from the back and rats can be seen regularly scurrying over the rubbish heaps.
Read More in News
Nicola Bulley cops face fury as ‘police didn’t find her, public did’
Mackenzie Crook says sister-in-law may have had ‘crisis’ before vanishing
John Scott, 83, has lived with wife Wendy, 79 and their daughter and granddaughter in a house backing onto the waste-filled alleyway since 1996.
He says they've "given up" clearing away the rubbish as it simply returns overnight and Birmingham City Council has done nothing to solve the issue.
The grandfather-of-three, a retired former warehouse and transport manager, said: "I've done my part and tried to clean the rubbish but every time more piles appear.
"There are beds, chairs, food rubbish, and mattresses and you can no longer get your car down the back of your house to park.
Most read in The Sun
Jude Law becomes a dad for seventh time as he is spotted with newborn baby
You're no longer a missing person… you've been found,Nicola's family say
Smokers face biggest price hike ever next month with packs of fags set to rise
Nicola cops confirm body found in river is mum weeks after she vanished
"There is currently no access to the back of our house because of the all the waste.
"I haven't personally seen rats on the rubbish myself but I know there are lots of them."
'DISGRACE'
John claims that the landlords and councils are not bothered about the issue despite the mounds of waste.
He continued: "Last year we had some in our garden and had to get some rat poison to sort the issue. The council are not bothered about the issue and haven't done anything.
"Most of the houses around this area are rentals and the landlords don't seem to care about the environment and just dump their rubbish in the alleyway.
"It's a disgrace and something needs to be done."
Another resident, who did not want to be named, added: "People have said that this is one of the grottiest areas in the city – or even the country.
"It's not safe. There are gas cannisters in there and if they went up then it could be really bad as the houses are so close.
"It's a massive health hazard, there's lots of families along this street and we've got rats running around. It's just grim."
People have said that this is one of the grottiest areas in the city – or even the country."
Locals say the problem has been going on for too long and many pin the blame on landlords of buy-to-rent properties and HMOS.
Parents are also refusing to let their children play outdoors because of the rat infestation along the stretch dubbed the 'Deykin Avenue Grot Spot'.
Rafay Mhmed, 27, has lived with his wife Amt-ul Qaddous, 28, and their two young children in a nearby flat for the last three years.
The taxi driver said: "People are always throwing rubbish in the alleyway. Whether it is glass bottles, paper, wood or mattresses, it is always full.
"All the rubbish dumping happens at night, so we never see who does it."
WASTELAND
His wife Amt-ul said: "We have also seen rats in the area.
"My children are too small to be playing outside at the moment anyway but if they were older I still wouldn't let them because I feel it is not safe or hygienic.
"Instead, we would take them to the park as everything here is covered in rubbish."
Amt-ul says that the situation has not gotten any better since they moved in three years ago.
She continued: "I think people just seeing this area as a dumping ground now and continue to dump their rubbish.
Read More on The Sun
You’re texting on your iPhone wrong – three hacks to instantly type faster
We paid £800 for a cute pug – it grew up to be something completely different
"We have cleaned our spot in the alleyway where my husband parks his car so many times, but the rubbish always returns.
"We clean it because we want to change the habits of this area and want to play our part – but it hasn't worked and the council hasn't done anything about it."
Source: Read Full Article