I read with great interest the story on rats and the plight of the residents of the borough who are being overrun by them.

I have built up a lot of experience on the subject of rats in my life as where I live is surrounded by farmland.

Plus I live within 50 yards of the c2c railway line, both of which are prime homelands for rats.

I notice that people have been trying to poison them. People may not realise this but poisoning them is not the best way to go.

By far the best thing to do is not to poison them. All that does is add to the problem because they re-populate.

To get rid of rats like any other vermin is to use a humane trap. That's one where you put some food into the trap, then set the trap on a rat run.

What you need to use in the trap is food that rats like, like chocolate, bread, rice, dog food, cat food etc.

Never make the mistake of using cheese because it's a myth that vermin love it. They do not touch it.

When the rat enters the trap you then need a stout pair of gardening gloves, preferably thick rubber gloves.

You then pick up the trap, take it several yards away holding the trap door held firmly closed so they can't escape.

Once you have done this you will never see the same rat again.

What you'll see eventually, and it does take a while, is fewer and fewer rats.

You will have to do this year after year though.

But the main difference between rats and mice is that while mice are very bold creatures rats are quite the opposite, a rat is more likely to run and hide from humans than a mouse.

Mice are more likely to come into your house than a rat.

That's not to say a rat will never enter your house because they can and have in the past.

Also, however scared you might be of rats and other vermin we all should remember that they have more reason to be scared of mankind than we do of the common rat.

Rats like all other animals will do what comes naturally to them.

They, like us, will protect their young, feed, seek warmth, keep themselves dry and clean.

In short, what I'm trying to say is don't blame the rat for being what it is or doing what comes naturally to the creature.

After all, the rat only does what we do, just in a different way to us.

I've done a little research on this subject and I found this website, http://www.rattraps.org.uk/Rat-Traps/default.aspx.

The information on this site is something that anyone with a rat infestation problem should read as it has accurate information on the subject, and advice on how to humanely remove rats.

I hope this will help those in the situation shown in the Gazette last week, and anyone who finds themselves in that situation in the future.

Name and address supplied

I WAS reading about residents complaining of rat infestations in Brentwood (Gazette, June 15).

While I agree it is certainly not good to have rats nearby, people should remember that the rats only exist because of human filth; they are very clean animals and multiply because of the amount of rubbish we leave around.

Please also remember that rat poison causes a dreadfully painful death for them and is lethal to our cats, so please do not put poison down.

If a domestic cat kills a rat that has been exposed to poison or eats food that has been poisoned it will die a long and suffering death.

Hopefully rat catchers will use their common sense and use a humane trap if necessary.

Or better still people should clean up their act and stop leaving their rubbish all over the place.

If there is nothing for the rats to feed on they will move on.

Mary Augood

Mount Crescent

Brentwood